TVSquad

(S18E13) We're getting down to the wire for this season of Survivor. The big three-hour finale and reunion show airs this coming Sunday. Of the five going into tonight's show, I think I would have only predicted JT be there at the beginning of the season. Stephen, the intellectual kind of nerdy guy? No way did I think he'd make it this far. Erinn was targeted early on. Taj, the best eye-roller since Eliza, is playing a delightfully sneaky game. Then there's the loon -- Coach. Sigh.

(S18E12) Would you prefer what's in the covered dish or what's behind Door Number Two? Okay, I lied. There is no door, just the dish. But, just think a minute ... if there was a door, perhaps Coach would be behind it pledging his never-ending Dragon Slayer hot love and devotion to you! That would make it all worthwhile, wouldn't it? This was the Survivor auction week, always a world of gastronomical goodies. What I'd like to see is Coach on a platter at Tribal Council. Is that asking too much?

(S18E08) I don't know. Is it just me or is this sexy librarian in a bikini look on Erinn from Survivor just a bit unsettling? There seems to be an evil gleam in her eyes, too. Maybe she's considering some Donner Party action and Coach will be her target? Sigh. Nah, it would never happen. Mr. Lord "Willie Nelson" Fauntleroy is just too darn skinny.

The promos promised us a merge tonight. This could get interesting with secret cross-tribe alliances. Will the Exile Island Allies take over the game? Or will the numbers in Timbira squash the weaker Jalapao tribe one by one? Read on.

(S18E07) Phew! March Madness is over and we had a fresh episode of Survivor on its regularly scheduled night! Although the episode title mentions Coach, I didn't want to use him in the image above. I've decided he's not Little Lord Fauntleroy -- he's Willie Nelson's odd spawn. You know ... the one they don't mention in public.

Joe (above) played a rather pivotal role in tonight's episode. he showed he's thinking ahead and he could have just flipped the whole game. Or maybe he just tried to flip the game not realizing he was flipping at all. Have I confused you yet? Read on!

(S18E06) They do this to us every season on Survivor -- the roughly mid-season clips show. Now, I'm not sure of the wisdom behind the whole thing. Perhaps it's to secure the jobs of the show's graphic artists so they can make new flashing "unseen before" logos. After all, in these tough economic times, those graphic artists need all the work they can get since their other main contribution is the seasonal logo. But that's actually not the reason they had the clips show this season. It was obviously to reinforce my opinion that Coach is a loon.

(S18E04) For eye candy this season on Survivor, we have Sydney representing the gals. But she's quick to say that she's not only pretty, she's sneaky. Can she be sneaky enough? Of course, if Timbira continues its losing streak, it won't really matter. Well, not yet anyway. Unfortunately for me, the male eye candy this season seems to be more along the lines of outdated cheap chocolates. I'm talking a skinny Tyson prancing about in a loincloth and whatever's going on with Coach's high ponytail-mullet mix. Sure, there are more attractive men there. But do they get the air time these two do? Nope! Spoilers ahead.

(S18E03) Yep, yep ... that's maize in the maze on Survivor. It looks like it's totally missing the bucket, doesn't it? Well, maybe, just maybe they weren't supposed to get it in the bucket. Perhaps it's something new and totally different. It could be they're filling their tops and holding a bucket just to make things a bit more challenging. Did you ever think of that? Or, it could be that I don't want to put any real spoilers before the jump.

Possible spoiler follows, though I don't think so. But I'll still use the word "they" instead of "he" or "she."

It must be hard to go on a reality show. Besides the insults you're bound to get from viewers, critics, family, and friends (unless you win a bunch of money, of course), you have to leave your job for quite some time. Then again, if you're going on a reality show to live on an island or in a house or whatever, you're probably looking for another life for yourself anyway.

One of the contestants from Survivor has been let go from their job. But they don't seem to care.

After three episodes, I can say with confidence that Friday Night Lights -- currently showing on DirecTV before a mid-season run on NBC -- is out of the sophomore slump it seemed to suffer last season. The "Tim gets religion, Landry and Tyra murder mayhem and Jason goes to Mexico" antics are definitely in the rear view mirror and the quality drama is back on the front burner.

What makes Friday Night Lights work so well is that the conflicts are real and more often than not relevant and relatable. The questions are good vs. bad, right vs. wrong...the questions are posed as choices. Nothing is black and white. Buddy Garrity wants all the best for Dillon High. He's not a bad guy. His goal for the school this year is a big, beautiful Jumbotron scoreboard. That's a good thing, right?

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.

Welcome back to TVSBTTHB (TV Squad Behind the True Hollywood Biography). For 11 years the bar simply known as Cheers was the place to go. Not only did everyone know your name (particularly if it was 'Norm'), but you were able to get a beer, a story about major league baseball's heyday, some homespun wisdom, a bunch of needless trivia from a postal worker, and perhaps a beer thrown into your face by a hormonal waitress who seems to have been very pregnant. When you left your wallet would be lighter, but a smile would crease your face.

Yet, once the last beer was sold and the final patron walked out the door the employees and patrons of that Boston bar disappeared into its narrow and winding streets, people have been asking the folks here at TVSBTTHB whatever happened to Sam, Diane, Norm, Cliff, and the rest of the Cheers gang. Now, after digging through mounds of beer kegs, Hungry Heifer napkins, and undelivered mail, we have discovered what happened to these folks who seemed to spend all of their waking hours in the bar.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Coach - Season 3
• Cops - 20th Anniversary Edition
• Dragon Ball Z - Season 4
• Father Ted - The Holy Trilogy
• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Vol. 1
• Peanuts - It's The Easter Beagle, Charlie Brown (Deluxe)
• SpongeBob SquarePants - Home Sweet Pineapple/SpongeBob Goes Prehistoric
• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - Season 2, Part 1
• Walker, Texas Ranger - Season 4

(S03E09) "If I hadn't of been here, you'd have whatever disease Hepatitis Bob has!"

How stoked was I to see Craig T. Nelson again? I was never a fan of Coach and I thought Nelson could do a lot better. It's great to see him on a show where he can really make people laugh.

I had all but forgotten about Liberty & Ray Ray. Their re-appearance. however, answers the question I had about how the writers will deal with a new baby. They won't. Just like when Phoebe had her brother's babies, Joy will give birth and we'll never see that kid again, except maybe during sweeps.

Last year, I mentioned a site called RejectedJokes in which comedy writer Ben Schwartz performed all the jokes he wrote that were rejected by the likes of Letterman and SNL's Weekend Update (he's a freelancer for both).

Ben's latest gig is creating videos for the Web site Super Deluxe. Below is a video he made featuring Rob Riggle (The Daily Show) as the coach for the Washington Colonels, a basketball team that has lost 125 matches in a row. Could it be that Riggle's team is that bad, or is it because their rival, the Bronx World Travelers, always bring things like stools and mini trampolines onto the court?

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• American Dad - Vol. 2
• Banacek - Season 1
• Coach - Season 2
• Curious George - Rocket Ride and Other Adventures
• ER - Season 7
• Frasier - Season 9
• Home Improvement - Season 6
• M*A*S*H - Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen
• Martin - Season 2
• Masters of Horror - Right To Die
• Monarch of the Glen - Series 6
• Playboy After Dark - Collection 2
• A Pup Named Scooby-Doo - Vol. 6
• The Rockford Files - Season 4
• Tom and Jerry - Tex Avery's Droopy: The Complete Theatrical Collection
• Tom and Jerry Tales - Vol. 2
• The War At Home - Season 1
• Wings - Season 4

Tom Poston, one of the classic veterans of TV comedy, died earlier today at his home in Los Angeles. He appeared on The Steve Allen Show in the 1950s and Newhart in the 1980s.

Poston played handyman George Utley on Newhart, and was also a regular on another Bob Newhart series, Bob. And to keep the connection to Newhart going, he played Cliff "The Peeper" Murdock on The Bob Newhart Show in the 70s. Poston also appeared on Grace Under Fire, Mork & Mindy, The Simpsons, Will & Grace, Home Improvement, Murphy Brown, Get Smart, Coach, The Love Boat, Studio One, The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, Just Shoot Me, That 70s Show, and dozens of other shows over the years.

Poston was married to actress Suzanne Pleshette, who played Newhart's wife Emily on The Bob Newhart Show.