Even more interestingly, Netflix released all 13 episodes at once, to the delight of fans and to the dismay of those fans’ social lives and sleep schedules.

Chiming in to the ballyhoo myself, I wonder: does the show fit into the definition of television?

Isn’t series television, by its very nature, supposed to come out piecemeal?

Furthermore, if Netflix uploads and makes readily available an entire television season in bulk, what’s the qualitative difference between that and a movie?

Okay, sure, the saga is split into episodes. And yes, each episodes might have a narrative structure unto itself. (I haven’t seen the show yet, so I have no idea how it’s paced; but I do hear that the episodes don’t often end on cliffhangers like conventional serialized dramas do.)

Even Beau Willimon, the writer who adapted House of Cards from the original BBC miniseries (which, in turn, was adapted from a Michael Dobbs novel) tells The New York Times that he imagines a future without such episodic divisions, saying that television “might even dispense with episodes altogether. You might just get eight straight hours or ten straight hours, and you decide where to pause.”

Yes, just like you would if you were watching a movie at home.

And if you’re still not convinced that House of Cards could be designated a “movie,” consider this: We still call play a “play” regardless of whether is has zero intermissions, one, two, or seven. So why couldn’t movies be split into hour-long segments on a streaming service like Netflix?

The conventional format for series television calls for installments to come at regular intervals, and those intervals are usually the span of a week. (Of course, for some reason we’re still entrenched in this September-to-May network TV season model, so hiatuses and reruns make said intervals more semi-regular than regular.)

Another point of conflict that makes House of Cards a square peg in a round hole: Weekly episodes, by accident or by design, give viewers two opportunities: to absorb the material and to react to it.

Part of the identity of television which distinguishes it from other media — in my mind, at least — is the interaction between the creators and the viewers, interaction which has become much more instantaneous and accessible in recent years because of this particular medium, the Internet.

Yet House of Cards subverts this interaction by filming its entire season before any episodes “air.” Yes, the creators could respond to fan feedback in the series’s potential second season but no more so than big-screen screenwriters respond to feedback for film sequels.

The Cards model also limits fans’ interaction amongst themselves. Fast Company, on its particularly beautiful blog Co.Design, wonders if House of Cards is “anti-social” television, citing a New York Times article about how the series is challenging to talk about online since every viewer is watching the series at a different pace. With conventional TV, fans on social media know that a large percentage of viewers watch a given episode within a week of its air date.

That Times article quotes blogging pioneer Dave Winer: “We need to invent new communication systems, where only people who have made it through Episode X can discuss with others who have made it exactly that far.”

Hear hear! We definitely need these new systems, especially if more and more distributors stream more “television” episodes and seasons en masse.

Doing so also encourages “binge viewing,” which is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it’s fantastic to watch the show at your own pace, never having to wait for more story and being able to watch an installment with the previous one still fresh in mind. (There aren’t even “previously on” segments to preface each episode of Cards, I read.) On the other hand, binge viewing is almost like an overdose: too much television for the mind (and often, body) to handle with no time to enjoy the effects. (Wow, I’m really making the most of this analogy.)

Moral of the story: House of Cards is not serialized and, thus, not interactive. Therefore, I decree, it’s not so much television — at least, not by the definition to which I’ve become accustomed.

Still, I am wildly curious about the series. I love the cast, especially Spacey; I find David Fincher’s direction rapturous; and — on an even more superficial note — I’m obsessed with the title design, the font in which design-lovers more knowledgeable than I have identified as Virus’s Bourgeois.

I know this argument might be purely academic, but it’s interesting to ponder the ramifications of Netflix’s grand experiment. It’s a mutation of the form of television — to me, at least — but it could be the next natural step in the medium’s evolution.

1. American Horror Story (2011: #1)
2. Breaking Bad
3. Damages
4. Homeland
5. Dexter (2011: #1)
6. Community (2011: #7)
7. The Good Wife (2011: #2)
8. Parks and Recreation (2011: #8)
9. Mad Men
10. Modern Family (2011: #3)

Honorable mentions: The New Normal, Girls, Nashville

Possible contenders (had I seen them!): Fringe, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Louie, Justified, Boardwalk Empire

WARNING: MASSIVE SPOILERS AHEAD! You may just want to look at the show names in the parentheses for each listing before anything else, just in case you were wanting to keep yourself pure. You’ve been warned!

1. Breaking Bad’s entire fifth season so far. I realized I just couldn’t narrow it down: neophyte Todd shooting the kid who witnesses the gang’s heist, Skylar telling Walt that she’s waiting and hoping for his cancer to come back, Walt fatally shooting Mike and then staying with him as he dies, Hank finding Gale’s book and realizing that Walt and Heisenberg are one and the same. And that was the first half of the season. See you at the 2013 Primies, Breaking Bad.
2. Deb shoots LaGuerta (Dexter) to save her brother, Dexter, with whom she’s still inextricably and tragically in love. Deb’s love life had always been her undoing, but she had always been the victim. It’s a different story now, to say the least.
3. Ben proposes to Leslie (Parks and Recreation) after surprising her at the house in which they planned to live together during less career-driven times — proof positive that some of television’s most heartfelt moments occur on comedies.
4. Megan sings “Zou Bisou Bisou” (Mad Men) for Don’s birthday party, a moment that’s unforgettable not just because the then-obscure song was so catchy but because Megan transformed from Don’s starry-eyed shotgun wife to his alluring leading lady. Betty who?
5. Carrie arrests Brody (Homeland) after he invites her into his hotel room, using their affair against him just as he had done to her. “You’re a disgrace to your nation, Sergeant Nicholas Brody,” she seethes. “You’re a traitor and a terrorist, and now it’s time you pay for that.”
6. Lana realizes Dr. Thredson is Bloody Face (American Horror Story), the intrepid reporter realizing that she went from the frying pan of the mental institution to the fire of a serial killer’s house — and furniture workshop. “What kind of material do you use?” she asks tremulously, after examining a sickeningly peachy lampshade.
7. Karofsky attempts suicide (Glee) after being harassed about his sexuality both in person and online, a reversal of fortune for the former bully. Glee often touts incisive comedy and spectacular show-stoppers, but I’m thinking that the show shines brightest when Ryan Murphy & Co. hit society’s exposed nerves.
8. Rayna and Deacon sing “No One Will Ever Love You” (Nashville) in heartbreaking harmony, realizing that they were the ones who should have been married, and that because they’re not, their personal feelings will always compromise their professional collaboration.
9. Kalinda prepares for her ex-husband’s arrival (The Good Wife), channeling her inner girl with a dragon tattoo as she turns off the lights in her apartment, positions an armchair to face the front door, and lies in wait with a loaded gun at the ready.
10. Shoshanna accidentally smokes crack (Girls), propelling the most innocent of all the Girls into a frenzy of both motormouthed insightfulness and paranoid flightiness.
11. Cam, dressed as a cat, gets rescued from a tree (Modern Family) when his  passions for environmentalism and community theater coincide. Trying to save a tree but not having time to change out of his Cats costume, Cam becomes stuck amid the branches in full feline regalia — and a (hunky) firefighter has to get him down.

Now that the Golden Globes have been doled out, I think it’s finally time to get to the legitimate awards: Primetimely’s third annual Primies! And, as is tradition, I’m starting out with the standout characters of 2012 — the fictional human beings that have delighted us, moved us, enthralled us, amused us, and scared the you-know-what out of us. And few were more terrifying than…

1. Sister Mary Eunice (American Horror Story) While Sister Jude seemed like the big bad at the start of American Horror Story‘s second season, her sycophantic right-hand woman went from docile to demonic once possessed by the Devil. A wolf in sheep’s clothing, the juxtaposition between her position and her possession is mirrored in her persona: She’s by turns saccharinely-sweet and insidiously evil. Played by Lily Rabe.
2. Mike Ehrmantraut (Breaking Bad) The first half of Breaking Bad‘s fifth season was the swan song for Mike Ehrmantraut, the fixer who helps Walter and Jesse’s operation because he’s not afraid to get his hands dirty in practical matters beyond the scope of Saul’s shady legal wheelings-and-dealings. His brute force won’t be easy for the show’s central criminals to replace, and his sardonic one-liners will be difficult for the writers to live without. Played by Jonathan Banks.
3. Carrie Mathison (Homeland) Every episode of Homeland contributes at least one or two gems to the Claire Danes Cry Face Project, but when she’s not spontaneously threatening to implode in emotions, Carrie is actually a brilliant agent. And when she’s not making come-hithery eyes at Brody and actually, y’know, taking him down, she’s also a badass. Played by, yep, Claire Danes.
4. Rayna James (Nashville) Rayna James is a fantastic singer, and excellent showman, an un-diva-like celeb, a fierce mama bear, and she has great legs. Hello. Played by Connie Britton.
5. Sister Jude (American Horror Story) Constance was an MVP in the previous season of American Horror Story, but Sister Jude is an even meatier role: a headstrong despot of a nun outrunning her salacious past while ruling over Briarcliff Manor Sanitarium with an iron fist and a vicious cane — before being ousted and returning as an unlikely hero. (Talk about a mouthful of a character trajectory!) Played by Jessica Lange.
6. Hannah McKay (Dexter) After one romantic interest who never really knew him and another who was inextricably dependent on him, Dexter’s third love seemed like the charm. Hannah was the perfect Bonnie to Dex’s Clyde: independent, passionate, and equally murderous. But timing is everything, and Deb’s knowledge of Dex’s secret doomed his relationship with Hannah. Hell hath no fury like a murderess scorned, and the poisonous orchid Hannah left on Dex’s doorstep promises a vengeful return. Played by Yvonne Strahovski.
7. Nick Miller (New Girl) Remember that scene in The Avengers in which Bruce Banner says his secret is that he’s always angry? Imagine a duller, more impotent version of that, and you get Nick Miller. But at least his anger is his comedic superpower! Played  by Jake Johnson.
8. Shoshanna Shapiro (Girls) Does sex make you more abrasive? Girls seems to prove that point: Its resident virgin is also its most endearing character. She’s sweet, considerate, and only slightly frenetic. Played by Zosia Mamet.
9. Bryan Collins (The New Normal) If you’ve only watched a bit of The New Normal, you might dismiss effusive, pop-culture-loving, diva-idolizing, beauty-product-using Bryan as a gay stereotype. But creator Ryan Murphy is smarter than that. Bryan is assertive, un-dramatic, and even butch (occasionally). Played by Andrew Rannells.
10. Elsbeth Tascioni (The Good Wife) I love Carrie Preston as Arlene on True Blood, but she really shines as Elsbeth on The Good Wife. You’ll be so disconcerted by her quirky social graces that you won’t even realize she’s ravaging you in the courtroom.

I’ve spent the last few weeks adapting an incredible WordPress theme by Elegant Themes to make it maintain the look and feel of my original site. As well as looking great, the new theme also expands the functionality of the site.

First off, you’re now greeted by the fancy new slider on the homepage, which showcases my recent posts.

There’s also a video slider on that page, which displays TV-related YouTube highlights.

And it also has a menu on the sidebar through which you can view the three most popular posts (in terms of comments) or three completely random posts.

With the navigation menu above, with its categories and subcategories, the posts are all the more organized and accessible.

And there are more improvements to come! For the moment, though, I’m off on a yuletide adventure with my partner and in-laws. Happy holidays to you and yours!

The season finale of The Amazing Race aired Sunday night, and Alex and I were riveted. We were rooting for Josh and Brent — partners, goat farmers, and subjects of the lifestyle show The Fabulous Beekman Boys — not just because they’re gay (though that’s a plus) but because they’re kind, moral people.

That said, there wasn’t anyone in the final four teams whom we disliked: Chippendales James and Jaymes were charming and, bleach job aside, good-looking; twins Natalie and Nadiya were always good for a laugh; and Troy and Lexi were milquetoast and innocuous.

But that changed in the first hour of the two-part finale.

The latter three teams formed “the Dream Team” — an alliance against Josh and Brent. That alliance was mean, first of all — because the Beekman Boys had never done anything cutthroat or unsportsmanlike — and also fairly foolish — because, as far as I know, there can only be one winning team in the end.

Then, once it became clear that Josh and Brent stood a fighting chance, either Nadiya or Natalie said something to the effect of, “We never thought the gays would pose a threat.”

Excuse me. I don’t know the rationale behind such a statement, i.e. whether it was intentionally homophobic. Let’s hope that she meant that the Beekman Boys weren’t much of a threat because they were Josh and Brent, not because they’re gay. And frankly, even the term “the gays” is irritating. It’s tantamount to saying “the blacks” or “the handicaps” in terms of reductiveness. And it implies that gayness is the most defining and/or interesting aspect of us, which it often isn’t. Anyway, LGBT people get to use the term “the gays” to refer to ourselves; not straight people. Or, should I say, not the straights?

In any case, that diss was careless at best and offensive at worst, so we were happy to see the twins go down in flames in the first hour, having been edged out by the gays themselves.

We were thrilled that the second hour took the three remaining teams to our home of New York City. The challenges were all exciting: a Houdini escape hundreds of feet in the air, a Lombardi’s pizza delivery right around my office, and — best of all — a flag/language quiz at the United Nations.

And — spoiler alert! — that last challenge required more brains than brawn, which helped sealed the deal for a terrifically gratifying Beekman victory. I wouldn’t have minded so much if the Chippendales had won, especially if they really would have donated their winnings to their parents’ medical care as they vowed they would. (At least they got Ford Escapes for their families. Hey, did you know that you could just kick your foot to open the tailgate? If not, the two-hour finale of The Amazing Race told you about 17 times.) But the Beekman Boys said that their winnings would help them finally pay off the mortgage on their farm so that Josh didn’t need a day job in the city.

And since I want as much quality time possible with my own gay — who, incidentally, would pose a huge threat on The Amazing Race, especially with geography-based challenges — that’s cause for a huge, Fabulous celebration.

With months to go before Breaking Bad returns for the final eight episodes of its fifth and last season, here’s something to help pass the time. Recently there has been a spate posts by sites like Vulture and BuzzFeed of Bad fan art that is anything but. Here’s to the artists who are immortalizing one of the finest shows of the decade — if not the century — with art so good it should be criminalized.

I am now (happily) employed full-time by Wetpaint, a company whose media property, Wetpaint Entertainment (www.wetpaint.com), is “your go-to source for the hottest shows on television — the latest photos, videos, spoilers, gossip, fashion, and recaps.” As you more regular readers may remember, I used to work for the company on a freelance basis, recapping Grey’s Anatomy. But now I’m an assistant editor covering entertainment news, so there’s obvious overlap between this site and Wetpaint. Therefore, I’ll do a lot of my day-to-day blogging there, but I’m still committed to posting more Primetimely-specific posts right here. Despite this six-week interlude of late, you hopefully you won’t even notice of change of pace. In fact, you can expect the next post in the next few days! (Hint: outed serial killers and gun-shy surgeons are involved.) Stay tuned.

I shouldn’t have found Revenge enjoyable. It’s clichéd, it’s soapy, and its characters are not exactly diverse. And Revenge shouldn’t have been successful. It’s a complicated, heavily-serialized drama; and there are hardly any cops, doctors, or lawyers in sight. But if there’s one thing television has taught me, it’s that expectations and preconceptions mean squat.

The story tracks the vengeance taken by Emily Thorne, (née Amanda Clark), whose father, David, was scapegoated for a terrorist-related money-laundering act by the wealthy Grayson family and later killed in prison. Years later, during her teen delinquent years, Emily learns of the framing and the coverup and enlists a Japanese sensei to show her the ways of revenge and uses the resources of a wealthy billionaire named Nolan (a former cohort of her father). After years of plotting, she moves into a beach cottage in the shadow of the Grayson’s mansion and woos their son, Daniel; but she really has feelings for her childhood friend Jack Porter, now a barkeep in a seaside dive bar. She begins covertly laying bare the Graysons’ secrets and stretching the family’s tensions to their breaking point. The matriarch of the Grayson family—and queen of Hamptons society—is Victoria, whose devotion to her family’s secrets and social standing clashes with her residual love for David Clark (with whom she had an affair). Along for the ride are Ashley, a social-climbing assistant to the Graysons; Declan, Jack’s brother; and Declan’s crush, Charlotte, who just happens to be the Graysons’ daughter.

Emily VanCamp, whom I enjoyed on Brothers and Sisters and whom other TV fans remember fondly from Everwood, plays the role of Emily with relish, having perfected the art of the icy glare and the conniving eye-narrow. (My one quibble with her character—and I’m not sure if this is a fault in the chemistry, the writing, or Ms. VanCamp’s performance—is that her faux-mance with Daniel never seems more than lukewarm. I guess Daniel is a bit of a fool for believing the charade.) But the real star is Madeleine Stowe, whose Victoria is one of the year’s most delectable characters. And the producers seem to value her most: she receives top billing in the credits, though Ms. VanCamp undoubtedly has more screen time. Victoria is polite, well-groomed, and rarely overtly emotional, reflecting how she values appearances above all else: over love, over trust, over human connection. That said, she doesn’t keep every feeling hidden: her fake, “I actually hate you” smile is transparently thin; she wants her social underlings to know their place. She also never hides her disapproval of her son’s relationship with Emily, and she and Emily engage in a cold war of cordiality, as if they’re competing to see whose pleasantries can be the most backhanded and innuendo-laden.

The show is unabashedly soapy, and indeed, all the trappings are evidence here: murders, affairs, backstabbings, love triangles, suicide attempts, surprise pregnancies, switched identities. None of these plot developments arethat surprising, but these cliches don’t detract from the enjoyment either. In fact, the only trope that seems tired is the reveal that—spoiler alert!—a larger conspiratorial organization is behind the entire cover-up. This plot point seems like a blatant ploy to prime the narrative pump for the second season.

Classism pervades the story: the Graysons are elitist and extremely exclusive. There’s much talk of keeping the “riffraff” out of the Hamptons, and the Graysons and their wealthy friends consider lower-to-middle-class citizens (like the Porters) to be second-class citizens. That said, the show is a little heavy-handed on associating wealth and privilege with corruption and immorality; and mentions of the 1% and the Occupy movements seem like forced attempts at relevance. Other themes include vigilante justice (and its unchecked lawlessness and collateral damage) and the clash between self-preservation and morality. But the show never delves too deeply into these themes, and nor should it: it’s a plot-focused series whose superficiality keeps the narrative progressing at a nice clip.

Though the show is serialized, many of the first episodes relatively self-contained. In these installments, Emily made broad-stroke plans for punishing the Graysons while going after the family’s accomplices one-by-one. Each of those episodes began with the reveal of the accomplice’s crime and ended with Emily exacting her retribution via public disgrace, financial ruin, career destruction, and even life’s-work-torching. The writers were smart to make these episodes more open-and-shut at a time when the show was still building a following. But aside from that, these episodes were actually the most fun to watch because Emily’s schemes were so apparent to us viewers. The series is less engaging when her plans are kept closer to the vest. We wanna be in on the plotting!

The show also has two other assets. For one, Nolan, is a delightfully unique character. He’s wealthy but good-hearted, which provides a nice foil to the Graysons. He’s well-spoken and witty (e.g. coining the term “revengenda”). He’s also a bit squirmy and eccentric. And this particular TV critic appreciates that his sexuality is amorphous and, beyond that, never made out to be a big deal.

The other asset is the introduction of the original Emily Thorne, the girl whom our Emily met in juvie and with whom our Emily switched identities. Not only does she become a player in the revenge plot, but she also flourishes in her new life, especially when she falls for Jack, who ignorantly thinks that she’s his long-lost childhood crush. Thus, our Emily’s love for Jack is impeded not only by her fake relationship with Daniel but also by the fake Amanda capitalizing on the backstory our Emily gave her. (Have I mentioned that it’s very difficult to describe an identity-switch storyline?)

No, Revenge isn’t a show that’s particularly smart or even all that original, but it doesn’t need to be. The writers have taken a glamorous world, populated it with interesting characters all with their own agendas, and situated it in a sprawling story of conspiracies and intrigue. Sure, this story has flaws, implausibilities, and plotholes. But, honestly, who the hell cares? This is fun, addictive television; and a show hardly needs to be Emmy-worthy to be entertaining.

This year’s Emmy nominees were announced as I was basking in the sun in Playa del Carmen, Mexico (shameless gloating, I admit), but you better believe I still checked out the list as soon as I could. Here are my thoughts on this year’s selections.

• Once again, HBO reigns supreme with an astonishing 81 nominations across the board. Just like HBO’s old motto touts, it’s not TV; nay, I’d argue that it’s super-TV.
• Camera operator Hector Ramirez and producer Sheila Nevins have earned the most lifetime Emmy nominations as of this year with 68 and 59 noms, respectively.
• If Mad Men wins for Outstanding Drama Series this year, it will have won that award five times—surpassing Hill Street Blues, L.A. Law, and The West Wing for the record.
• Modern Family is the most-nominated comedy this year with 14 noms, Mad Men is the most-nominated drama with 17, American Horror Story is the most-nominated miniseries with 17, and Hemingway & Gellhorn is the most-nominated TV movie with 15. (And that last one is a surprise because I’d read pretty lukewarm reviews of Hemingway & Gellhorn.)
• Jon Hamm has been nominated for an Emmy 8 times but has never won, and Michael C. Hall has been nominated 7 times without a win. But in terms of Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, there can be only one! (And it might very well be neither of them, eh, Cranston?)
• Community has finally been nominated for an Emmy in the Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series category… still not as an Outstanding Comedy Series.
• On the drama side, Parenthood has finally been recognized, but only in a nomination for Jason Ritter as an Outstanding Guest Actor. (Not to say I wouldn’t agree with that choice.)
• It’s telling that Glee only received 3 nominations this year, compared to 19 for it’s first season and 12 for its second. Not so much of a sophomore slump as a junior slump.
• Conversely, Breaking Bad has only received more and more nominations each year, with almost twice as many nominations for this season than for last.
• Meanwhile, Parks and Recreation is enjoying its most-nominated year, but that it wasn’t nominated for Outstanding Comedy Series speaks to the wealth of great comedy on TV today.
• Anyone who says that SNL has gone downhill should acknowledge that it has never received more nominations per year than it has in the years since 2009.
• Let’s hear it for the funny ladies! This year there are seven nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.
• Every single adult star of Modern Family has been nominated.
• American Horror Story and Missing were smart to nominate themselves in the less-competitive miniseries categories: American Horror Story because it’s an anthology series (with a new story every season) and Missing because, well, it was cancelled.
• Two of my favorite categories are buried deep in the nominations press release: Main Title Design (for which American Horror Story, New Girl, Strike Back, Great Expectations, and Magic City were nominated) and Main Title Theme Music (for which Touch, Homeland, Page Eight, Hell on Wheels, and Great Expectations were recognized).
• I’m gratified that Betty White is once again nominated, this time as the host of the senior-prankster show Betty White’s Off Their Rockers.
• God, I gotta see Homeland.
• I’d like to name a cat after Benedict Cumberbatch (of Sherlock fame).

Simultaneously reaching new levels of inappropriateness and awesomeness, some Michelangelo of Legos (or, more accurately, some friend of a Reddit user) has used the innocent construction blocks to recreate Walter White’s underground meth lab from Breaking Bad.  And then some other Reddit user brilliantly dubbed it “Bricking Bad.”  More photos of the creations are below, but first, are some other TV locations I’d love to see in Lego form:

• The Swan (i.e. the Hatch) from Lost
• The Pie Hole from Pushing Daisies
• Murder House from American Horror Story
• The Sterling Cooper Draper Price offices from Mad Men
• Merlotte’s from True Blood
• The West Wing… from… um, The West Wing

Dear Ryan Murphy,

First off, I love your work.  I loved Nip/Tuck, I was fascinated by the pilot for Pretty/Handsome, and I remain haunted by American Horror Story.  But my partner and I are of two minds when it comes to The Glee Project.  You see, we do like it—it’s an addictive show with formidable talent and fun challenges—but the concept confuses us.  Are you looking for talented youngsters who can sing, dance, and act?  Or are you looking for inspiration?

When The Glee Project premiered last summer, our impression was that you and the other producers of Glee would be searching amongst relative unknowns for fresh talent—people who can sing, dance, and act.  Once it premiered, however, it became clear that you were looking for inspirational stories amongst the contestants, hoping to write the contestant’s personal histories into the show.  (You’d say things like, “How do I write for you?”)  And that’s what happened with that season’s winners: Sam, a devout Christian, appears on Glee as Joe, a devout Christian; and Damian, an Irish immigrant, plays Rory, an Irish immigrant.  (And runner-up Alex, who oft dressed in drag, guest-starred in two episodes as a drag queen named Unique.)

However, most episodes are themed around acting challenges, with titles like “Vulnerability,” “Adaptability,” “Believability,” and even “Actability.”  But what’s the point of testing the contestants’ acting chops if the winners would just be playing themselves?

And for that matter, if you are looking for inspiration (which is fine, as long as that is your stated goal), why are you eliminating the most interesting of the contestants?

For example, let’s look at some of the contestants who have been eliminated so far this season: Dani, a lesbian; Tyler, a transgender man, and Mario, a blind man.  (And take note: I list these descriptors merely as attributes for these contenders and not their defining qualities—though they’d likely claim these attributes as “selling points” for b4eing cast on Glee.)  Three out of the five contestants eliminated so far are persons of color, as well.  Of the contestants that remain, only one (Abraham) isn’t Caucasian.  There is still some diversity:  Abraham is Asian, Ali is a paraplegic, Aylin is Muslim, Charlie has ADHD and low-spectral autism.  There might be even more diversity, but I don’t want to cast aspersions; I’m only stating the attributes of each contestant that they’ve already revealed.

Of the contestants who remain this summer, Blake, Lily Mae, Michael, and Nellie have no discernible source of diversity: from all appearances, they’re heterosexual, white, and middle-class or above.  Contestants whose stories would make Glee even more interesting and diverse are being voted off the musical-theater island.  (Not to reinforce quotas, but the show already has Asian characters and already has a paraplegic.)

Now, I understand the rationale behind many of the elimination decisions.  Those contestants made mistakes or were off their game that week.  But they are still works-in-progress.  At some point, the narrative potential of their histories has to be so alluring that they can be forgiven for their position on the learning curve.

As for the current season, what’s done is done; and I’m sure the winner will be a capable singer, dancer, and actor.  But next season, if you’re still looking to be inspired, I hope the winner is someone whose story is truly unique and who is working on the rest.

Thanks,
Dan Clarendon

This installment of the Prime Times is all about the cool guest stars we’ll all get to see on our favorite shows… in a few months’ time. Sorry for the blue balls, folks.

• With the seventh-season premiere a torturous three months away, Showtime has released a teaser-trailerfocusing on the fallout from last season’s “Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain with a knife” finale.
• More details are surfacing about the second season of FX’s creepfest American Horror Story. Now we know that Jessica Lange will play a nun and administrator (presumably in the 1960s-era East Coast insane asylum, which was previously announced as the season’s setting). And filling out the cast are Adam Levine and James Cromwell.
• ER reunion ho! Maura Tierney will recur on the next season of The Good Wife, sharing the screen once again with Julianna Margulies. According to Deadline, Tierney will play “a self-made millionaire who has become the doyenne of Chicago Democratic politics.” (Have I mentioned that I’m a self-made hundredaire who has become the doyenne of East Harlem television-news reporting?)
• Casting Gods, take notice! Michelle Williams is positively itching to play a bit part on Cougar Townalongside her best friend and Dawson’s Creek costar Busy Philipps.
• After not being picked up by ABC, Devious Maids—the latest pilot from Marc Cherry of Desperate Housewives fame—is headed to Lifetime. And that’s good because Susan Lucci seems like an actress who belongs on Lifetime.
• Everybody Loves Raymond‘s Ray Romano will have a recurring role in the next season of Parenthood, playing a photographer who may possibly come between Sarah and Mark.
• Television personalities getting their own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame include Bryan Cranston, Ellen DeGeneres, Jane Lynch, Katey Sagal, Matthew Perry, and… Mentalist Simon Baker?
• No doubt hoping to expunge his time served on A Gifted Man, Patrick Wilson will guest-star in the next season of HBO’s Girls, playing a maybe-sorta-possible love interest to Lena Dunham’s Hannah.
• Have I mentioned that I’m wildly jealous of Lena Dunham for being a year older than me and, like, 1,000 times more famous? (And maybe, like, 4 times more talented as a writer!)
• Vulture has a great article on the television artistes who have nominated themselves for Emmys this year… no matter how questionable their work is. Stop me when you hear someone/something deserving of Emmy gold: Jennifer Love Hewitt, the actress… Jennifer Love Hewitt, the director… Joe Jonas… I Hate My Teenage Daughter… Supah Ninjas… Sophia Bush of One Tree Hill…
• Downton Abbey fans, if you’ve been hankering to sneak a peak at Shirley MacLaine in action as Martha Levinson, mother of Lady Cora, here’s your chance.
• The latest guest-star to be announced for the next season of Californication is that most upstanding citizen Marilyn Manson.
• The second annual Critics’ Choice Television Awards were announced last week, and here’s a handy breakdown of the winners, thanks to EW.com:
  

  Best Drama Series
  Homeland

  Best Actor in a Drama Series
  Bryan Cranston – Breaking Bad

  Best Actress in a Drama Series
  Claire Danes – Homeland

  Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
  Giancarlo Esposito – Breaking Bad

  Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
  Christina Hendricks – Mad Men

  Best Guest Performer in a Drama Series
  Lucy Liu – Southland

  Best Reality Series
  Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations

  Best Reality Series – Competition
  The Voice

  Best Reality Show Host – TIE
  Tom Bergeron – Dancing With the Stars
  Cat Deeley – So You Think You Can Dance

  Best Talk Show
  Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

  Best Comedy Series
  Community

  Best Actor in a Comedy Series
  Louis C.K. – Louie

  Best Actress in a Comedy Series — TIE
  Zooey Deschanel – New Girl
  Amy Poehler – Parks and Recreation

  Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series
  Ty Burrell – Modern Family

  Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
  Julie Bowen – Modern Family

  Best Guest Performer in a Comedy Series
  Paul Rudd – Parks and Recreation

  Best Animated Series
  Archer

  Best Movie/Miniseries
  Sherlock

  Best Actor in a Movie/Miniseries
  Benedict Cumberbatch – Sherlock

  Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries
  Julianne Moore – Game Change

  Most Exciting New Series
  The Following 
  The Mindy Project
  Nashville 
  The Newsroom
  Political Animals

  No huge surprises there, but a lot of delight. And that last category, Most Exciting New Series, is especially fun.

• And, for any of you still reading, please enjoy this truly horrible scene from Ringer. Maybe now I’m not regretting never having watched…

…plus impromptu commentary on The Big C, Parks and Recreation, and Mad Men

I’ve been blogging for Primetimely for awhile now, and I love it, but I’ll be forthcoming: I’m not always the most regular updater. With a full-time day job to work, dozens of shows to watch, a career in TV writing to which to aspire, a cat to pamper, a roommate with whom to hang out, friends to see, and a fiancé with whom to spend quality time, it’s not always easy to find the time or the energy to dedicate to quality posts! But I think I often wait until I have inspiration for a post, and that means waiting too long. So with this post, I introduce a whole new category of blog update: the stream-of-consciousness-style journal, which I’m (oh-so-adorably) entitling “Prime Cuts.” I’ll try to just ramble and hold forth on the television that I’m watching and hearing about. And in the hope of blogging more often and more quickly, it won’t be organized nor will it be heavily edited. So take caution: tangential and unvarnished commentary ahead!

I just finished Desperate Housewives. As in, the entire series. I’d been watching since the beginning, and it had always been a guilty pleasure of mine and my mom’s. But she tapped out a season or two ago, and I kept going, mainly because I felt obligated to finish a series in which I had invested so much time… and that statement alone should tell you my opinion of these latest seasons. It had never been a top-notch show, in my book, but the first few seasons did have an interesting viewpoint on modern-day relationships, gender dynamics, and suburban ennui. Plus, it was a nice blend of comedy and drama: never too light, never too dark. But too often the storylines ventured into the preposterous and threatened to “jump the shark.” It came to embody some of the most derided aspects of a soap opera. However, just like it was never consistently good, it was never consistently bad either. There were always standout moments, episodes, and storylines… even in the last seasons. I’m not sure I’ll ever miss or wish there had been one more season, but I’ll remember the good times fondly and try to expunge the rest from my memory. And, for the record, I will remember it as a show with very witty writing.

Meanwhile, I am love-love-loving The Big C. It always looked fun (or about as fun as a show about cancer can be), but it is really one of the most enjoyable and binge-worthy half-hours of TV I’ve seen recently. Laura Linney is awesome (predictably), but so is the rest of the cast, especially Oliver Platt as Kathy’s fun-loving and equally-impulsive husband and John Benjamin Hickey as Kathy’s erratic and open-minded brother.

And, by the way, the show has an impressive roster of guest stars. (Spoiler alert!) Liam Neeson, Susan Sarandon, Alan Alda all have popped up. But most exciting for me, perhaps, was the appearance of Victor Garber, one of my beloved Alias alums, who plays a role unlike any I’ve seen before.

We are also savoring Parks and Recreation. It’s one of only two shows that I think are consistently hilarious (the other being Modern Family). And that’s partly because, I believe, both shows know how to surprise us with antics and quirks that seem, in retrospect, so natural and obvious for each character. (For example, ofcourse Ron Swanson’s favorite restaurant would be in a bowling alley. And of course he harbors a closeted love for riddles.)

We’re also making good headway through Big Love, and it’s more captivating than ever because Season 4 is more stressful than any season prior. Bill has always had to manage his three wives and handful of children, his family and troubled history at his sect’s compound, and his home-improvement franchise since the beginning of the series; but now he also has his casino upstart and his bid to be a state senator added on to his plate. To say that he and his family members are at their breaking point is an understatement, and the shifting alliances and motivations of all the supporting characters only add fuel to the flames.

I still haven’t started this season of Mad Men, but—and pardon the crass analogy—I’m finding the procrastination to be somewhat tantric. I know how engrossing this season has been to those who have seen it, and I’ve read polarized opinions on it, and so far I’ve only been spoiled by one plot point; so I am chomping at the bit to get started but also enjoying the anticipation.

Onward, televiewers!

Feeling a certain malaise now that the traditional broadcast TV season is dormant until September? Feeling reluctant to crack that copy of Infinite Jest on your bookshelf? Unenthused about taking in the sunshine and warm weather outside? Have no fear: summer TV is here! And here’s your handy breakdown of the estival new shows (“estival: appearing or belonging to summer”—thanks, Merriam-Webster!), each listing complete with the official description and with my pithy remarks. Never mind the fact that some of these shows are already on the air. Just keep thinking that my blog is the timeliest of all blogs.

• May 11: Common Law (USA) This series is “about two cops with a problem—each other. Despite their differences, they are incredible detectives. When things come to a head during their ‘seven-year itch’ as partners, their captain forces them into couples’ therapy to save their ‘work marriage.’” Can you feel the (strictly professional) love tonight?
• May 24: Duets (ABC) “Superstars Kelly Clarkson, John Legend, Jennifer Nettles and Robin Thicke individually set out on a journey across America looking for undiscovered talent worthy to be their protégés. Ultimately, each superstar will choose two singers to be their duet partners. Together, the superstar and their protégé will take the stage each week and perform in front of a live studio audience.” I can’t knock it: it’s actually a legitimately good excuse for another singing show.
• May 29: The Catalina (The CW) “With a nightlife as hot as the sun-soaked beaches, [this] new reality series centers on the young, wild staff of The Catalina hotel in Miami’s South Beach. Forming their own dysfunctional family unit, the fun-loving group works hard during the day, while at night, they party even harder than their guests.” Hmm, let me make that synopsis more synopsized: It’s like South Beach Shore with the cast members at least pretending to have legitimate jobs.
• May 30: Dogs in the City (CBS) “New York City dog guru Justin Silver [is] a master at resolving issues between canines and their owners—no matter whose behavior is at fault.” Hah! Zinger. But I’m not really interested in The Dog Whisperer: Urban Edition, no matter how attractive Mr. Silver is… oh wait… oh, hello…
• May 31: Breaking Pointe (The CW) “Breaking Pointe rips back the curtain on the inner workings of elite Salt Lake City Ballet Company, Ballet West. It obliterates the notion that ballet is a dated art form and shatters pre-conceived stereotypes [...] Beneath their perfect exteriors, these dancers have the toughness of linebackers, punishing their bodies to achieve perfection and dancing through injuries and pain.” So it’s like Black Swan with all of the physical rigor and none of the fun craziness.
• June 3: Longmire (A&E) “Walt Longmire is the dedicated and unflappable sheriff of Absaroka County, Wyoming. Widowed only a year, he is a man in psychic repair but buries his pain behind his brave face, unassuming grin, and dry wit.” Both the main character and the concept seem a little rusty, but Wyoming looks beautiful, so there’s that.
• June 4: Push Girls (Sundance) “Four friends, through accident or illness, have been paralyzed from the neck or waist down. But while their legs may be disabled, these four fearless women pursue their own claims to happiness, even when their lives threaten to spin out of control.” Okay, Sundance, good for you. But who even has Sundance?
• June 7: The Choice (FOX) This show “features the world’s most eligible celebrities competing to find true love among a group of attractive singles…they can’t see.” Too bad the world’s most eligible celebrities are neither the world’s most legitimate nor even the world’s most interesting celebrities.
• June 7: Saving Hope (NBC) “When charismatic Chief of Surgery Charlie Harris at Hope-Zion Hospital ends up in a coma, he leaves the hospital in chaos – and his fiancee and fellow surgeon, Alex Reid, in a state of shock [...] The comatose Harris explores the hospital halls in ‘spirit’ form, not sure if he’s a ghost or a figment of his own imagination.” In other words, Grey’s Anatomy: Ghost Edition.
• June 8: Bunk (IFC) “Bunk is a comedy game show where a panel of comedians compete in inane challenges to win surreal prizes.” Somehow I think that the prospect of winning “surreal prizes” wouldn’t fly on broadcast game shows.
• June 8: Comedy Bang! Bang! (IFC) “Packed with character cameos, filmic shorts, sketches and games set amongst an off-beat world, [this show] delivers thirty minutes of absurd laugh-loaded fun featuring some of the biggest names in comedy.” And they’re not kidding: the guest-star slate includes Michael Cera, Zach Galifianakis, Jon Hamm, Amy Poehler, and Seth Rogen.
• June 11: Bunheads (ABC Family) “The tale of a Las Vegas showgirl who impulsively marries a man, moves to his sleepy coastal town, and takes an uneasy role at her new mother-in-law’s dance school.” It’s like Black Swan without any of the interesting parts and with a bizarre title.
• June 12: Barter Kings ”There’s a thriving subculture of entrepreneurs who know how to get what they want without spending a dime. No cash, no problem. These larger than life characters prefer the art of trade, and we’ve found the best in the business—Steve McHugh and Antonio Palazzola.” This new trend of collectors’ reality TV is getting a little out of hand (see also: American Pickers, Storage Wars, Auction Kings, Pawn Stars, etc.); but if this show can explain how that Montreal dude turned a paper clip into a house in 14 trades, I’m in.
• June 13: Dallas (TNT) “The story focuses on the offspring of bitter rivals and brothers JR and Bobby Ewing, who clash over the future of the Ewing dynasty while the fate of Southfork itself weighs in the balance.” Watch out for the season-ending cliffhanger finale “Who Botox-ed J.R.?”
• June 18: The Glass House (ABC) “14 contestants will live together and compete against each other and the viewers for $250,000 grand prize. Viewers will be able to support the contestants they like through online and social media platforms and their votes will help determine which go home and which eliminated competitors will have the chance to return to the competition.” We’ll see if this show ever makes it to air: CBS is trying to block the premiere, alleging that it’s too similar to Big Brother.
• June 20: Baby Daddy (ABC Family) “Ben becomes a surprise dad to a baby girl when she’s left on his doorstep by an ex-girlfriend. Ben decides to raise the baby with the help of his mother, his brother Danny, his best buddy Penny, who is harboring a secret crush on him.” So it’s like Raising Hope: Life Unexpected Edition.
• June 20: Inside Men (BBC America) “The story of three employees of a security depot who plan and execute a multi-million-pound cash heist.” …before retiring for tea and crumpets at 3 o’clock. (Sorry, that was a cheap ploy to say the word “crumpets.”)
• June 21: Snooki & JWOWW (MTV) This show “follows Jersey Shore BFF’s Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi and Jenni ‘JWOWW’ Farley as they start a new chapter in their lives and take over Jersey City [...] The real-life besties move in together to take on their next big adventure: adulthood!” Warning: only permissible when watched ironically.
• June 24: The Great Escape (TNT) “TNT will drop teams of everyday people into the middle of their own epic action/adventure movie and challenge them to complete one task: escape.” Sounds like great fun, assuming you are coordinated. If there were a series for us clumsy-folk called The Great Trip, I’d be its champion.
• June 24: The Newsroom (HBO) “A behind-the-scenes look at the people who make a nightly cable-news program [...] the series tracks their quixotic mission to do the news well in the face of corporate and commercial obstacles-not to mention their own personal entanglements.” It’s like Aaron Sorkin made a big sandwich out of Sports Night, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip; and I, for one, am ready to chow down.
• June 26: Craft Wars: “Craft Wars follows host Tori Spelling and a diverse cast of crafters as they compete to become the ultimate crafting champion.” Sorry, TLC, even before the word “crafting,” you lost me at “Tori Spelling.”
• June 28: Anger Management Charlie Sheen plays “a non-traditional therapist specializing in anger management. He has a successful private practice, holding sessions with his group of primary patients each week, as well as performing pro bono counseling for an inmate group at a state prison.” You may think that Sheen’s latest case of the crazies would oust him from showbiz forever, but, hey, doesn’t everyone deserve a seventeenth chance?
• June 28: Brand X with Russell Brand (FX) “The series features Brand’s unvarnished, unfiltered take on current events, politics and pop culture [...] shot in front of a live audience.” I’m not sure I understand this twist in FX’s brand-ing. (Rim shot!)
• July 9: Opening Act (E!) “A team of judges will comb the Internet in search of talented amateurs capable of opening for such acts as Nicki Minaj, LMFAO, Brad Paisley, Gym Class Heroes and Jason Mraz.” Hope this fills that gaping void of song-and-dance competition shows out there.
• July 9: Perception (TNT) “Dr. Daniel Pierce is an eccentric neuroscientist who uses his unique outlook to help the federal government solve complex criminal cases.” …and to help solve the case of Eric McCormack’s apparent imperviousness to aging.
• July 10: Final Witness (ABC) ”What if a murder victim could tell you about their final moments? The voices of the dead come to life in this true-crime series which offers a unique look at some of the nation’s most shocking murders. Each of the seven episodes will examine one case from start to finish, taking viewers inside the murder from the victim’s point of view.” Gee, ABC, that’s pretty crass. That’s not to say that I’m not luridly curious to watch, but I’ll not feel good about myself. I’ll just not.
• July 10: Trust Us with Your Life (ABC) “A new improv comedy show [featuring] Fred Willard as host and Wayne Brady, Colin Mochrie, and Jonathan Mangum as the main improvisers. Greg Proops and Nicole Parker will guest=star.” OMG! It’s Who’s Line Is It Anyway 2.0! And a lot of the old gang is back! I’m happy that Fred Willard (of all the Christopher Guest mockumentaries) is hosting. But who will represent us absurdly-tall guys if Ryan Stiles isn’t there?
• July 11: Beverly Hills Nannies (ABC Family) ”A docu-series, following the lives of a group of nannies working for families in the most exclusive zip code in the country.” Is “docu-series” the new euphemism for reality TV? At least this show isn’t oblique in its title.
• July 15: Small Town Security (AMC) This reality show “focuses on a small, family-owned private security company located in rural Georgia.” If this show has even half the backwoods, low-life population of Justified, this could get interesting…
• July 19: Married to Jonas (E!) “A docu-soap series that chronicles both [Kevin Jonas's and wife Danielle's] suburban domestic life and Jonas’s re-teaming with his siblings Joe and Nick as the group gets ready to record new music.” I wouldn’t watch it in any event, but isn’t Kevin the least popular of the Jonases?
• July 23: 3 (CBS) “A new relationship series in which three single women of different ages, life experiences and backgrounds meet for the first time with a common goal—to find true love.” So it’s like three seasons of The Bachelorette running at the same time. Does that appeal to you?
• August 13: Major Crimes (TNT) “The Closer spin-off series which follows Capt. Raydor of the Los Angeles Police Department.” That synopsis would spark more interest if I’d ever watched The Closer. Still, it has Mary McDonnell, so it has to be okay!

As reported by TV.com, Nielsen has released a list of all the shows on broadcast networks this past season, ranked by average number of viewers in the 18-to-49-year-old demographic… and the list is surprising on many counts. I’ve transposed the complete list below, but in case you want the abridged version (you impatient ingrates!), I readily relinquish my reflections and ruminations on the ratings ranking.

• The most-watched scripted show is Modern Family (ABC, #4), and that fact makes me damn proud of America. Good on you, viewers!
• CBS sitcoms continue to dominate, especially The Big Bang Theory (#6), Two and a Half Men (#7), and 2 Broke Girls (#9). And, against all rational thought, Rules of Engagement (#35) is still surprisingly popular. I mean, I don’t know anyone who watches it, but…
• Grey’s Anatomy (#10) is doing remarkably well for a show entering its ninth season.
• Way more people watched the performance shows of The Voice (NBC, #3) and Dancing with the Stars (ABC, #28) than the results shows (#14 and #40, respectively). Also, in the case of the latter, it seems like less viewers are tuning into the ballroom nowadays.
• Of all of this season’s crop of cancelled shows, Rob (CBS, #22) is the highest-rated… and rated surprisingly high. Still, no skin of my back.
• Terra Nova (FOX, #24) and Alcatraz (FOX, #30) were also highly-rated one-season wonders. I can understand cancelling Terra Nova, due to the logistics and budget of its production; but Alcatraz seems like a cheaper, easier show to produce.
• Considering all the buzz around it, I thought Revenge (ABC, #45) was doing much better, ratings-wise.
• It’s no wonder CBS killed CSI: Miami (#62); and I have to assume its Friday-night berth is the only reason CSI: NY (CBS, #94) lives to see another season.
• The Good Wife (CBS, #65), however, ranks even lower than CSI: Miami amongst 18-to-49-year-olds, though I wonder if older viewers buoy up the ratings. (And come to think of it, it also faced stiff competition in its Sunday-night time slot this season.)
• It’s interesting that The CW cancelled Ringer (#146) while keeping Nikita (#149), a show with lower ratings. And it’s not like Nikita is that much more on-brand than Ringer. But Nikita does have younger cast members, if memory serves, so maybe that was a factor in the decision.
• Mobbed (FOX, #78), Who’s Still Standing (NBC, #103), You Deserve It (ABC, #125), and My Extreme Affliction (ABC, #128)… ¿Qué? Did I miss these shows? Does anyone know what they were?
• I have actually heard of Escape Routes (NBC, #154)—not because I knew it was televised on a broadcast network but because of ubiquitous ads for the show on Hulu.
• And I’ve heard of The L.A. Complex (CW, #155), too, by virtue of the sad fact that it had the lowest-rated series debut in the history of, like, anything.

1. NBC NBC Sunday Night Football
2. Fox American Idol Performance Show
3. NBC The Voice 
4. ABC Modern Family 
5. Fox American Idol, Results Show 
6. CBS The Big Bang Theory 
7. CBS Two And A Half Men 
8. Fox The X Factor, Performance Show
9. CBS 2 Broke Girls 
10. ABC Grey’s Anatomy 
11. NBC Football Night in America Pt. 3 
12. Fox New Girl 
13. Fox The X Factor, Results Show
14. NBC The Voice, Results Show
15. CBS How I Met Your Mother 
16. ABC Once Upon A Time 
17. CBS NCIS 
18. CBS Survivor: South Pacific 
19. Fox Family Guy 
20. CBS Mike & Molly 
21. CBS Criminal Minds 
22. CBS Rob 
23. Fox Glee 
24. Fox Terra Nova 
25. ABC Desperate Housewives 
26. CBS Survivor: One World 
27. CBS NCIS: Los Angeles 
28. ABC Dancing With The Stars 
29. NBC The Office 
30. Fox Alcatraz 
31. Fox House 
32. CBS Person Of Interest 
33. Fox The Simpsons 
34. CBS The Amazing Race 19 
35. CBS Rules Of Engagement 
36. CBS Hawaii Five-0 
37. CBS CSI 
38. NBC Smash 
39. CBS The Mentalist 
40. ABC Dancing With the Stars Results Show
41. CBS The Amazing Race 20 
42. ABC Happy Endings 
43. ABC Private Practice 
44. ABC The Bachelor
45. ABC Revenge 
46. Fox Bones 
47. ABC Castle 
48. NBC Fear Factor 
49. CBS How To Be A Gentleman 
50. Fox Napoleon Dynamite 
51. Fox Touch 
52. Fox American Dad 
53. ABC Don’t Trust The B—- in Apt. 23 
54. ABC GCB 
55. ABC Last Man Standing
56. NBC Parenthood 
57. Fox Raising Hope 
58. Fox The Cleveland Show, Sunday 8:30p
59. NBC The Biggest Loser 13 
60. NBC The Biggest Loser 12 
61. ABC Suburgatory 
62. CBS CSI: Miami 
63. ABC The Middle
64. CBS Unforgettable 
65. CBS The Good Wife
66. ABC Scandal 
67. ABC Pan Am 
68. ABC The River
69. NBC Up All Night 
70. NBC Celebrity Apprentice
71. ABC Celebrity Wife Swap 
72. CBS 60 Minutes 
73. NBC Law And Order:SVU 
74. NBC Parks And Recreation 
75. Fox The Finder 
76. NBC Whitney 
77. NBC Football Night in America Pt 2
78. Fox Mobbed 
79. CBS Undercover Boss 
80. Fox Allen Gregory 
81. NBC Grimm 
82. NBC 30 Rock 
83. Fox I Hate My Teenage Daughter
84. ABC Saturday Night Football 
85. ABC Man Up! 
86. ABC Body Of Proof 
87. Fox Bob’s Burgers 
88. CBS Blue Bloods 
89. Fox The Cleveland Show
90. ABC Work It 
91. NBC Community 
92. ABC Cougar Town 
93. NBC Are You There Chelsea? 
94. CBS CSI: NY 
95. ABC Wipeout, Thursday
96. NBC The Playboy Club 
97. NBC The Sing Off 
98. ABC Missing 
99. ABC Shark Tank 
100. NBC Fashion Star 
101. NBC Betty White’s Off Their Rockers 
102. NBC Prime Suspect 
103. NBC Who’s Still Standing 
104. NBC Awake 
105. Fox Fringe 
106. Fox Kitchen Nightmares 
107. ABC Charlie’s Angels 
108. Fox Breaking In 
109. ABC 20/20, Friday
110. ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, 9pm
111. CBS NYC 22 
112. ABC America’s Funniest Home Videos
113. NBC Betty White’s Off Their Rockers, 8:30pm
114. ABC Primetime:What Would You Do? 
115. NBC Dateline, Friday
116. ABC Extreme Makeover: Home Edition 
117. Fox Cops
118. NBC Harry’s Law 
119. CBS A Gifted Man 
120. NBC Free Agents 
121. NBC Chuck 
122. CW The Vampire Diaries 
123. CBS 48 Hours Mystery 
124. Fox Cops 
125. ABC You Deserve It 
126. NBC Dateline, Sunday 7pm
127. NBC Bent, 9pm
128. ABC My Extreme Affliction 
129. CW America’s Next Top Model
130. ABC Missing, Wednesday
131. NBC Who Do You Think You Are?
132. ABC 20/20, Friday
133. NBC Best Friends Forever 
134. ABC ABC Sat Movie Of The Week 
135. NBC The Firm 
136. CW One Tree Hill 
137. NBC Bent, 9:30pm
138. NBC Rock Center With Brian Williams
139. CW The Secret Circle 
140. CW Supernatural 
141. CBS Crimetime Saturday 
142. NBC Law & Order: SVU, Saturday
143. NBC Law & Order: SVU, Wednesday 9pm
144. CW 90210 
145. CW Gossip Girl, Monday
146. CW Ringer 
147. CW Hart Of Dixie 
148. CW America’s Next Top Model, British Invasion
149. CW Nikita 
150. Fox Q’Viva 
151. CW H8R 
152. NBC The Firm, Saturday
153. CW Remodeled 
154. NBC Escape Routes 
155. CW LA Complex