Q & A: Ask TV Addict
Wondering where your favorite TV series is headed during season finales? How will "Desperate Housewives" wrap up its many mysteries? What's in that nutty "Lost" hatch? TV Addict columnist Pamela Sitt answered a selection of your questions during a lunchtime Q&A. Thanks to all who participated!
I've loved "The Amazing Race" since its start several years ago. What's the scoop for next season? I hear families will be racing. And when does the next season start?
— Carla, SeattlePamela Sitt: Yes, "The Amazing Race 8" will be a family edition with teams of four instead of two. There had been rumors that "Survivor's" Rupert Boneham would pull a Rob & Amber and appear on the race with his cute little tie-dyed family, but alas, not happening. (His kid's too young, anyway; participants have to be at least 12.) I'd like to see an engaged couple team up with their prospective in-laws — if you lose, the wedding's off. Ha!
Pamela, how worried should I be about the future of "Arrested Development"? I've heard lots of rumors saying that it might be canceled. Please tell me this isn't true.
— Tim, BurienP. S.: Tim, I'm pleased to report that Fox has picked up "Arrested Development" for a third season. It will move to 8 p.m. Mondays in the fall. Frozen bananas all around!
Is it me or did all the hate-hype surrounding "Desperate Housewives" cast members smack of the alleged catfights between "Sex and the City" stars? And does this "female trouble" lead to higher ratings, more press?
— Georgie, BellevueP. S.: Well, of course everyone loves a good catfight, and reports of Teri Hatcher crying into her cellphone and Marcia Cross throwing a tantrum over wardrobe can only lead to more US Weekly and In Touch covers. As much as I love "Desperate Housewives," I think comparisons to "Sex and the City" are premature. ABC's already ripping off HBO with its "I'm a Bree," "I'm an Edie," etc. T-shirts on their Web site. Well, guess what: "I'M A CARRIE."
I love your column. So fess up: how many hours of TV do you watch in a week? Do you ever get sick of it? Anything you truly cannot stomach to watch?
— Bret Hauser, SeattleP. S.: Bret, thanks for loving my column. You're my favorite. Please don't make me try to figure out how many hours of television I watch each week; my head might explode and I'm not that good at math. Britney and Kevin's new reality show is pretty nauseating. I don't watch any of the crime procedurals, just because there are too many and they're all so serious. I love "Nip/Tuck" on FX but I watch most of it with my hand over my eyes, peeking through my fingers.
What happened to "Eyes"? I loved that show and it disappeared so fast you'd need a private detective to find it.
— Jim, SeattleP. S.: "Eyes" is gone. Not enough people were watching. I'm sad. I was developing a huge crush on Tim Daly.
I'm dying to know what happened to Christian in the season finale of "Nip/Tuck." Any inside info?
— Lisa, SeattleP. S.: Thankfully, "Nip/Tuck" returns to FX late this summer or early fall. I LOVE CHRISTIAN. I hope his face isn't scarred for life; it's too pretty.
Victoria Gotti: she is not 41! How old do you think she really is? Also, if you threw a marshmallow and it hit one of her sons on the head, do you think the marshmallow would bounce or would it just be impaled on his hair?
— Stacy, SeattleP. S.: I'm not going on the record calling Victoria Gotti a liar because ... I'm scared. But excellent question on the marshmallows. I think you could throw bricks at the young Gotti boys and they wouldn't notice because they'd be too busy playing video games.
Do you have a guilty pleasure so awful you feel bad telling people you watch it? Mine is "Gastineau Girls."
— Robert Hahn, SeattleP. S.: I'm beyond shame at this point. But since you shared, I'll tell you my guiltiest pleasure is probably MTV's "Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County."
Can we talk about the sudden explosion in annoying TV personalities? Katie Couric is now so annoying I can't believe CBS would consider her for the Dan Rather spot. (He was annoying too, but in a more entertaining, off-the-wall way.) And Nancy Grace and Paris Hilton. Who do you find annoying?
— Megan Sutherland, KirklandP. S.: I could talk about annoying people, on TV and otherwise, all day. The Katie Couric downward spiral is all very schadenfreude-ilicious. I'm so over Katie. Off the top of my head, the most annoying people on TV right now are Star Jones (ABC's "The View"), Britney Spears (strangely, even more annoying than K-Fed) and anyone starring in an Old Navy commercial.
If you could watch ONLY three TV shows in a week what would they be? No cheating.
— Elliot Marks, OlympiaP. S.: 1) "Gilmore Girls"
2) "Entourage" (returns to HBO June 5)
3) "Desperate Housewives"
What's up with fashion on TV? Is there no show out there that can take up where "Sex and the City" left off?
— Doug, SeattleP. S.: I hear "The L Word" on Showtime is trying to become more fashion-forward in its third season. "Desperate Housewives" would seemingly be the obvious choice, except that half the time they're in bathrobes or lingerie. "The O.C." is good for the young Hollywood set. Loved Rachel Bilson's striped peasant skirt last week.
What's going on with "Lost" — will the season finale answer more questions, or leave us with new ones? It's quite possibly THE most addictive show on TV!
— David Cordova, BellevueP. S.: The two-hour finale next week will certainly answer some questions AND leave us with new ones to obsess over all summer. I got hooked on this show only recently and can't wait for the DVD to come out Sept. 6 so I can catch up. As for the finale, I'll defer to E! online's "Watch With Kristin," who reports this from "Lost" creator J.J. Abrams: "I think certain story points will be answered that will provide people with real satisfaction, and at the same time, the season finale is, I think, just incredibly shocking. It's going to be really unbelievable." For more on that interview (including some hints about season two) see Kristin's column on eonline.com.
Did you see that piece in the New York Times magazine saying that watching TV, at least contemporary, complex shows like "Lost" and "The Sopranos", actually makes you smarter? So are you smarter since you started writing this column (which I love, by the way)?
— Sheila Diaz, SeattleP. S.: That is an excellent question and here is my honest answer: I saw the NYT story, got very excited by the headline ("Watching TV Makes You Smarter"), tried to read it ... and got bored by about the third paragraph. It was a really long article. I don't know if I'm smarter now, but my attention span is definitely shorter.
I love how TV can be the place for "washed-up" movie people to be reinvented as stars. I'm thinking about Cybill Shepherd, Candice Bergen and now Teri Hatcher. Are there movie people out there languishing that you think would be good TV stars, either in a drama/soap, or a comedy?
— Darla K. Smith, SeattleP. S.: I loved Candice Bergen on "Sex and the City" and now on "Boston Legal." And I hear Glenn Close is great on "The Shield," although I haven't had time to actually watch the episodes I've TiVoed. I'm looking forward to Jason Lee (the perpetual wisecracking sidekick in any Kevin Smith movie) this fall in NBC's "My Name Is Earl" (9 p.m. Tuesdays, KING). He stars as a crook who wins the lottery.
As for who I'd like to see get her own series: Minnie Driver. She was hilarious as Karen's nemesis on "Will & Grace." And speaking of "Will & Grace" guest stars, I think Sharon Stone would be great, too.
Wouldn't CBS be brilliant if they hired Jon Stewart to replace Dan Rather? Or to do just about anything, for that matter?
— Patrick Johnson, ShorelineP. S.: Um, well, if you're being tongue-in-cheeky about Jon "Fake News" Stewart replacing Dan "The Fake Documents Are Real" Rather, then yes, it would be brilliant.
You're so cute and perky and your column is so filled with your personality that I am afraid that you're bound to head south to L.A. Any thoughts of branching out?
— Jack, EdmondsP. S.: I would never move to L.A. It's like an alternate universe. Are you saying that people in Seattle can't be cute or have a personality? Hmmm, you might be on to something. KIDDING!!
What channel or news show do you watch for your daily dose of world/national news?
— Janet, Granite FallsP. S.: I read the newspaper for my daily dose of news (ahem). And then I watch "The Daily Show."
When is "The Biggest Loser" coming back and why did they let an overweight woman (is she supposed to be a celeb?) host that show?
— Benjamin, SeattleP. S.: "The Biggest Loser 2" premieres Aug. 9 (8 p.m., KING) and will feature a "battle of the sexes" set-up. I personally think Kirstie Alley should host the show, but Caroline Rhea (yes, she's an actress) will be back instead.
"The Amazing Race" was fixed! Amber and Rob had it won — being on that plane would have put them way ahead and in position to win. Something happened off-camera to make the airline roll back the ramp to allow the other team on. Very suspect. The producers didn't want one team to be far ahead going to the final ending. I think it was fixed! What do you think?
— Luke Johnson, KirklandP. S.: I think *if* "The Amazing Race" was fixed, then Rob and Amber stayed in the game longer than they would have without conveniently running into personal tour guides everywhere they went.
OK, this is just an observation, but: Why is it that whenever I surf around to both KCTS and whatever the Tacoma PBS series is, they're playing that weird old movie about the old coot who went up to Alaska in like the '50s to live in the bush? It's so strange, and it seems like it's in a continual loop. It's worth watching once, but over and over?
— Lori Hamilton, BellevueP. S.: Lori, I actually called my peeps at KCTS and asked them this question. If the program you're referring to is "Alone in the Wilderness," the official response is: "We continue to air because people love it. Hasn't everyone always wanted to whittle a salad bowl and tongs out of a giant alder?" Um, I'm at a loss for words.
I really like the NBC show "The Contender," even if Sly Stallone is too prominently featured and really doesn't add anything to the show. I thought the show was getting OK ratings, but hear it is getting canned. Is that true?
— James, SeattleP. S.: The show was a hit with critics but a ratings loser. It won't be back.
What can you tell us about "Gilmore Girls"? That is a GREAT show!
— Art Vandelay, New YorkP. S.: All I can say is that "Gilmore Girls" is one of my favorite shows ever and I actually screamed when Lorelai proposed to Luke at the end of Tuesday's season finale. Also, the show ran 27 seconds long that night so anyone who tried to tape it MISSED HIS RESPONSE.
I LOVE that you LOVE Rory, Luke and Lorelai on "Gilmore Girls" (plus all the others in Starr's Hollow)! What do you like about "Gilmore Girls" that you don't find on other shows?
— Lauren, North BendP. S.: OMG, you need to meet my friend Merideth, who won't even let me fast-forward through the theme song at the beginning of each show — she gets up and sings and dances every time. I love the quick dialogue and pop-culture references that you CAN find on some other shows like "The O.C.," but unlike "The O.C.," Gilmore is still good. I also love Logan, and I love that Rory has good reasons to love him and Lorelai has just as good reasons to not love him. I could go on forever, but the other readers are getting impatient.
OK, this is silly. I'm 27 and LOVE "What I Like About You." Are Vince and Holly going to get back together?
— Ginger, SeattleP. S.: That is silly. I don't even watch that show. Just kidding, I would never make fun of anyone else's guilty pleasure. But I have noooo idea.
Can you explain the sudden demise/hiatus of "Boston Legal"? I've heard it was coming back in the fall, but there was never any formal send-off. Why do all of my favorites get pulled before they're given a chance (i.e. "Eyes," "The Mountain")?
— Jackson, BothellP. S.: It will be back in the fall on a new night, Tuesdays at 10 p.m. Yay! I love James Spader.
So, since I see that you love "Gilmore Girls," do you really think that Rory is going to drop out of Yale for good? And can you believe that Lorelai asked Luke to marry her -- what do you think is going to happen?
— Erin, SeattleP. S.: OK, so last week when they showed previews for the season finale of "GG" that had Rory dropping out of Yale, I totally thought it was because she was pregnant with Logan's baby. Because Lorelai had a pregnancy scare on that episode, so that would be clever, right? Alas, I was wrong. I don't know if Rory will go back to Yale, but I think her moving in with Emily and Richard is GENIUS and creates a whole new layer to the ongoing relationship between Lorelai and her parents. I think Luke and Lorelai will get engaged, which will be fodder for some great storylines next season because you know the WHOLE town will get involved.
I taped "Gilmore Girls," and missed the ending because as you noted the episode went long — so what was Luke's response??????
— Erin, SeattleP. S.: "What?!" Fade to black.
One thing I like about your column is that it makes me feel a lot less guilty about watching TV somehow. Here's a question, just for your opinion — who do you think has been the most memorable person on a reality TV show? My favorite is Omarosa, I think, but I'm curious who yours would be.
— Ellen J., WoodinvilleP. S.: That's a tough one. While I think about that, you think about this: Omarosa is gonna be on "Surreal Life 5" and live in a house with Janice Dickinson from "America's Next Top Model." It premieres on VH1 Sept. 5. I CAN'T WAIT.
Now that Leslie Miller has left KCPQ, who is the most simple-minded anchor in Seattle?
— Kenny, SeattleP. S.: Oh, Kenny, don't try to get me in trouble! But e-mail me later and let's talk.
I'm bummed that CBS is canceling "Judging Amy," which ended with about four cliffhangers, and "Joan of Arcadia."
— Deborah, LynnwoodP. S.: Ummmm, I'm not.
Seems like 80 percent of TV these days is pitched at women first, then kids, then adult men last, if at all. The male actors seem to be mainly eye candy for the women. Things seem to a total reverse from the way it was 20 years ago. What do you think are the best balanced shows?
— H., North BendP. S.: Are you saying that Jesse Metcalfe should keep his shirt on in "Desperate Housewives"? Perish the thought! Actually, you make an interesting point, because TV networks now are all chasing the elusive and coveted 18- to 49-year-old male viewer. I think "Lost" is a great example of a show that appeals to both men and women. And 20 years ago ... I was in first grade and my favorite TV show was "CHiPs."
Hasn't Dr. Phil used up his 15 minutes of fame yet? Serious Oprah coattails, don't you think?
— Jennifer Smart, SeattleP. S.: Ooh, let's add him to my list of Most Annoying People on TV.
Have you heard anything about the future of "Charmed"? Will it be back next season? Will Julian McMahon be back?
— Rebecca, SeattleP. S.: "Charmed" will be back at 8 p.m. Sundays on The WB, and disturbingly, I'm hearing that Mark McGrath ("Sugar Ray" dude-turned-"Extra"-correspondent) will be on it.
What will "Star Trek" fans do with themselves now?
— Andrea Winnow, SeattleP. S.: I think a better question is, well...never mind. "Star Trek" fans scare me.
I know this is a little off your expertise, but can you recommend some kids shows besides "Spongebob Squarepants" that grownups can watch too?
— Jenni Brown, SeattleP. S.: Jenni, email me at psitt@seattletimes.com after the chat and I'll help you out.