TVSquad

I'm sorry, but while I think that everyone is entitled to their opinion about "best this" and "best that" (not to be confused with "favorite this" and "favorite that"), sometimes such a list has some entries that just make you scratch your head so much that you have to throw the whole list away and start over. Case in point, this list of the 10 Best TV Pilots from the new issue of TV Guide.

While I'm not going to sit here and argue about shows on the list like Lost, The Sopranos, and Alias, I am going to take issue with the inclusion of Desperate Housewives, The Shield, and Football Wives. Honestly, are these true representatives of the best first episodes of TV shows? Forget about what the shows became (great shows can often have so-so early episodes), just the first episodes themselves. Was there truly anything special about Desperate Housewives that would place it ahead of...oh, I don't know, 400 other shows in the history of television?

Now that the confetti has been swept away, all the balloons popped, and the St. Paul cops are stowing their riot gear, it's time to recall the surprisingly eventful Republican National Convention in Minnesota. Is it really only one week ago today that Senator John McCain pulled a rabbit out of his hat and introduced little-known Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate? She's not little-known anymore. In fact, the 2008 Republican Convention is forever more to be remembered for her ascent, whatever her future portends.

Here's some other thoughts from the TV coverage of the RNC:

Media matters
Having the two political conventions back to back was a plus for the TV pros. All the mistakes from Denver were rectified in St. Paul. The MSNBC set ups avoided train stations and noise interruptions. Splitting up Keith Olbermann and Chris Matthews worked better, with Olbermann as the point man throwing the coverage to the other news pros. And there was less bickering and fighting, at least compared to the week before.

"Sarah Palin: Vet This!": More of that thrilling Republican National Convention coverage. I think I either underestimated just how super-snarky the right is or I just missed a hefty chunk of all the jackassery from the convention coverage. I mean, Sarah Palin and Rudy Giuliani mocking my community service alone would probably leave me in a serious case of playground tears.

This is Spoilers Anonymous, a weekly column here at TV Squad where we'll supply you with the dirt on some of the more popular shows on the air. We'll never put spoilers up here on the main page in order to help the reformed stay unspoiled. If you have anything to add to the group, feel free to step up and let yourself be heard, either with our tips form or by emailing us at tvsquad at gmail dot com or call and leave a message at (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: 24, Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Chuck, Desperate Housewives, Dirty Sexy Money, Ghost Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Private Practice, and Pushing Daisies. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

If you haven't entered our latest giveaways yet, here's a reminder that most of this week's are ending today. You've got until 5PM Eastern today to enter the following giveaways:

The Office - Season Four

Eli Stone - Season One

South Park - Season 11

Supernatural - Season Three

Just head on over to the post linked above, read through the rules and make the applicable comment there (not here!) We'll notify the winners next week.

Good luck!

A new sci-fi series is coming to ABC created by Star Trek alumnus Rene Echevarria and Greg Berlanti. It is called The Return and is about the day a group of extra-terrestrials land on Earth. Obviously, hilarity will ensue.

I wish I could count on one hand the sheer number of times I have seen this situation in sci-fi. For classic examples, see The Day The Earth Stood Still. For more modern ones, there is the concept of Alien Nation and I can think of at least one episode of Doctor Who. I'm sure there are a multitude of others.

Echevarria has worked on other sci-fi series than Star Trek such as The 4400 and Dark Angel, so I'm trusting that the guy knows what he's doing to put a new spin on an old concept. However, I don't find the title, The Return, to be very exciting or imaginative. It doesn't make me want to tune in. Can you think of a better one?

If I didn't love this news so much, I'd be worried that 30 Rock was turning into The Love Boat or Will and Grace. After all, it seems as though there's news of a new guest star every few days. First Will Arnett signed on to reprise his role as the delightfully evil Devon Banks, then ex-Friend, Jennifer Aniston, decided to return to television in order to stalk Jack Donaghy. After that came news that Oprah was scheduled to play herself on an upcoming episode.

That's a lot of guest stars to pack into one season, but now we have news of two more. Everybody's favorite Gossip Girls, Blair and Serena, AKA Leighton Meester and Blake Lively, are coming to 30 Rock. What on earth could bring these Upper East Siders to Midtown? Are they trying to overthrow Liz Lemon as queen bee of TGS with Tracy Jordan? Are they starring in a movie with Tracy Jordan? There's more info on their storyline after the jump.

Aside from a couple of TV shows in the 1990s (Drexell's Class and Total Security -- ever heard of them?), most of Jason Biggs' career has been in the film industry -- most notably as Jim Levenstein in the American Pie series.

Now it looks like he might be headed back to TV with a CBS comedy about a family that "loves too much." He's in final negotiations to headline the as-yet-untitled project, which has received a pilot commitment and an order for six additional scripts.

The show revolves around adult siblings and their parents, all of whom are over-involved in each others' lives.

We talked about this when they announced that Jerry Seinfeld had signed on to promote Windows for Microsoft. If you were watching the big NFL kickoff Thursday night, you might have seen what that looked like. If you missed it, it's embedded after the jump. I've watched the commercial a few times now, and I'm torn. I agreed with Brad's take in the original post, that Seinfeld may be a few years past the point of ideal pitchman.

That being said, the first half of the commercial is quirky, and pretty funny. The idea of stumbling on Bill Gates in a discount shoe shop is an amusing place to start. And Gates does a good job as the straight man for Seinfeld. I really like the odd cut to the family watching through the glass. "They run tight." It all pays off nicely with that familiar image of Gates on his Platinum Shoe Circus Clown Club card. It loses steam when they leave the mall. A moist and chewy cake computer? I think the writers got tripped up by the iffy tag. The future. Delicious.

Guillermo del Toro is a busy guy. Aside from helming the much anticipated The Hobbit prequel films to the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy, he's got so many films on his schedule that he's practically booked through 2017. But what does that have to do with television, you say? Well, Variety wrote this big old long article about the esteemed del Toro, and one of the last topics discussed was the possibility of a third Hellboy movie. The second didn't achieve the success domestically as the first film but has performed well.

What's kind of cool to consider is that buried in all that text is the gem that the studio is possibly considering a TV series for Hellboy to keep him in front of his fanbase until such a film could be made. Creator Mike Mignola has developed tons of stories for Hellboy in the world of comics, and possibly even more for B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Development).

The L Word will kick off its sixth, and final, season in January, with Elizabeth Berkley in tow. That's a pretty nice run for any show, cable or network. If you're experiencing preemptive disappointment over the thought of losing the show, rest easy. As we heard at the TCAs, Ilene Chaiken, creator and executive producer of the show, has been signed to write and produce a pilot for an L Word spinoff.

Even better, we now know that Leisha Hailey has been brought in to star. She plays Alice, and would have easily been my pick for the character to spin off. The Showtime press release doesn't contain any details about what Chaiken has planned for Alice in the new series. We do know that she will take a storyline from season six and continue it as internet-only content. If the pilot goes forward to series, the online component will segue into the new show. I would add, if there is any way to bring back Erica Cerra, I'd be all for that. You can never have too much Erica Cerra on your television. Showtime's press release is after the jump.

No doubt about it, the TV viewing world loves Buffy the Vampire Slayer. In fact, there are some of us ... ahem ... who just can't seem to let it go.

Yeah, I just called the kettle black, as I mourn for Buffy like no other show in the history of television. However, now that a massive mulitiplayer online Buffy game has been announced, I am wondering if all the Buffy love has gone just a bit too far.

I could stomach the previous video games, mostly because they weren't purchased by anyone in my household, and I have even been known to read the season eight comic books (which may or may not have something to do with the storyline of the MMO game). Maybe, just maybe, I am wondering if it is time for all of us to just let Buffy rest in peace.

(S10E24) "I was running out of bodies." - Jerry

Oh, no! Could Jerry be talking about dead bodies in the Big Brother 10 house? He's been talking about being all alone in the house. Now, if there are bodies ... gulp. You never know with some of the houseguests they get on the show. Sure, they pass the psychological screening, but Jerry could just snap. Or maybe I just have an overactive imagination. Read on past the jump for my full review of tonight's live eviction episode.

Another hamster leaves the Habitrail, otherwise known as the Big Brother 10 house, tonight. Then it will be down to the final four. Perhaps not the four we wanted or expected, but that's how it goes in the Big Brother game. Tonight's Head of Household competition will reveal the first definite final three player. But the one with all the power this upcoming week will be the Power of Veto holder -- the sole vote for eviction next week.

To read the latest news from the 24/7 live feeds, read beyond the jump -- spoilers ahead!

The Republicans have been crying foul about how the media has been unfairly going after vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin. Right or wrong, all that media attention, plus the curiosity about who this little known Alaska governor is, fueled last night's broadcast of her acceptance speech. The results were predictable. The Palin speech was a Nielsen ratings hit, drawing 37.2 million viewers. That's nearly as many viewers as Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama scored a week ago at his Denver stadium event.

As I said, the big number was hardly a surprise, especially if you are at all media savvy. On the net, the name Sarah Palin has become the top draw on every search engine. She's presently a bigger celebrity -- yes, sorry, but that's the word that fits -- than Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, Madonna or Barack Obama. She's on the cover of every supermarket magazine this week, as well as the news magazines.