TVSquad

Radner. Louis-Dreyfus. Poehler. Fey. Shannon.

Suffice it to say, the number of women who became famous on Saturday Night Live before graduating to solo success is few and far between. Sure, Gilda Radner can be considered a pioneer in the art of sketch comedy. And Julia Louis-Dreyfus undoubtedly honed her comedic skills before becoming a sitcom icon on Seinfeld. And, yes, Tina Fey can easily be considered a heroine to comedy nerds everywhere who have witnessed her climb from Weekend Update anchor to Mean Girls scribe to single-handedly decimating the vice presidential chances of one certain gun-wieldin', six-pack-totin' Alaskan governor.

But, sadly, the number of men who left Studio 8 for the superstardom of Planet Hollywood (not the theme restaurant) easily outnumbers the ladies. For every Amy Poehler, there's a Will Ferrell. And a Bill Murray. And a Mike Myers and Eddie Murphy and Adam Sandler (although, to be fair, there's also a David Gary Kroeger, A. Whitney Brown, and Charles Rocket for every Melanie Hutsell, too). (And for the record, no, you shouldn't recognize those names.)

If you've watched 30 Rock this past season, you've seen how funny actress Edie Falco can be. As C.C. (Celeste Cunningham), she's been a hoot opposite Alec Baldwin. Well, Showtime noticed, and they announced today that the three-time Emmy-winner, best known as Carmela on The Sopranos, will star in a new show for their network. She'll be playing a "strong-willed, iconoclastic New York City nurse juggling the frenzied grind of an urban hospital and an equally challenging personal life" is the 30-minute, single camera, dark comedy.

Every Tuesday here on TV Squad , we will highlight the week's TV-on-DVD releases. Some noteworthy releases today, May 2, 2006:

• 3rd Rock from the Sun - Season 4
• Andromeda - Vol 5.5
• Dinosaurs - The Complete 1st and 2nd Seasons
• A Fall of Eagles (mini-series)
• Hee Haw - Collection Vol 6
• I Love Lucy - The Complete 6th Season
• Kate & Allie - The Complete 1st Season
• King of the Hill - Complete 6th Season
• Leave It to Beaver - The Complete 2nd Season
• Life in the Undergrowth (mini-series)
• The Nanny - The Complete 2nd Season
• The Omega Factor
• Red Dwarf - Series 8
• The Red Green Show - 1997 Season

Every Tuesday here on TV Squad , we will highlight the week's TV-on-DVD releases. Some noteworthy releases today, April 4, 2006:

• 3rd Rock from the Sun - Best Episodes In The Universe, Really
• The Adventures of the Little Prince - The Perfect Planet; The Star Gazer
• The A-Team - Season 4
• Dawson's Creek - The Complete 6th Season
• Full House - The Complete 3rd Season
• Garbage Pail Kids - The Complete Series
• Knight Rider - Season 4
• Magnum, P.I. - Season Four
• Multiple Shows - Star Trek: Time Travel Fan Collective
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Volume 4
• Tripping the Rift - Season 2

I love everything John Lithgow does. He made a great woman in The World According to Garp, a terrifying villain in Raising Cain, and a perfectly goofy alien in 3rd Rock From the Sun. He even made a children's album a few years ago that ended up being a big hit with my niece. He seems like the kind of guy who is always trying to challenge himself creatively and I respect that. Plus, he kind-of dances to the beat of his own drum.

So, I'm happy to announce that he's returning to primetime television as one of two stars in the NBC comedy, Twenty Good Years. It's about two aging men who have epiphanies and set out to live their final two decades to their fullest. Kinda sounds like My Name is Earl. No idea who the other lead is.

Is anybody else out there a John Lithgow fan?

Every Tuesday here on TV Squad , we will highlight the week's TV-on-DVD releases. Some noteworthy releases today, February 21, 2006:

• 3rd Rock from the Sun - Season 3
• Action - The Complete Series
• The Adventures of Teddy Ruxpin - Volume 01: The Journey Begins; Volume 02: The Journey Continues
• The Dick Cavett Show - Comic Legends
• Goof Troop - Volume 1
• The Irish R.M. - Series 3
• NYPD Blue - The Complete 3rd Season
• Quack Pack - Volume 1
• Redwall - Season 1
• SpongeBob SquarePants - Lost In Time
• Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea - Season 1, Vol 1
• What's New Scooby-Doo? - Vol 8: Zoinks, Camera, Action!