TVSquad

(Check out part one of this four-part report)

Friday

Morning was weird, as I was still on east-coast time. My alarm was set for 7 AM, but I was wide-awake by 5:30. I was scheduled to go to an X-Box breakfast that morning, but I was getting freaked out that I'd miss getting in to wait for the Stargate panels, most of which I was saving for Rich but I knew would be incredibly popular and busy. Thankfully I made the right decision -- the line for Ballroom 20 was already insane by the time I arrived.

As I waited for Ballroom 20, I saw another line creeping up the patio outside. I learned that this was just a glimpse of what to expect with waiting for panels in the enormous Hall H, as the line I saw was for the popular Watchmen panel. Trust me, part of me was jealous I wasn't in that line to see the new footage.

Last week, it was Men in Trees. Now the end has officially come for another ABC drama series. ABC has confirmed that October Road is over. The long and winding road is no more, so to speak. ABC has no room in the fall lineup, apparently, and a plan to move October Road and Men in Trees to Lifetime never panned out. So all the die-hard fans who've been writing the network and crafting petitions can give it up. No amount of peanuts or blood drives -- oh, wait, that was Jericho and Moonlight. The Roadies had a different tack; buy the DVD, donate it to a library to get more people watching and writing to ABC. Despite the sincere efforts, the network still chose to end the road and move on to a newer, different show.

The reverberations caused by the writers' strike continue to affect how the networks are doing business. Case in point: according to The Hollywood Reporter's James Hibberd, the networks may be more generous with renewals than they have in the past, due to the fact that even hit shows have been returning to diminished ratings. My guess is that, after a three-month break, most people realized they didn't give two craps about things like Meredith and McDreamy's latest breakup. But it may just be that the weather's nice outside.

Anyway, Hibberd goes on to mention the current status of some of the most prominent "bubble" shows. The good news: Reaper, Old Christine, and HIMYM and Moonlight have shifted over towards the "likely to certain" end of the spectrum, and Boston Legal will likely survive for another year. The bad news: Shark, Men In Trees (which is already gone, according to reports), Cashmere Mafia, and October Road are likely gone. And there's still no real feel for what's going to happen with Eli Stone or Women's Murder Club.

This is disheartening. ABC has been looking to Lifetime as a new home for Men in Trees and October Road. Both dramatic series have not as yet been picked up for next year, and now this report makes it clear they are both skating on thin ice. The powers that be at Lifetime were given copies of both shows to review and chose not to pick up either of them. They basically threw the ball back to ABC, forcing the network to decide the fate of these two shows.

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: Aliens in America, Brothers & Sisters, Gossip Girl, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, October Road, and Pushing Daisies. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

(S04E10) "He can build homes and decorate them. Sometimes God gives with both hands." - Lee McDermott

So Ida didn't survive the twister. Was anyone really surprised? If everyone in the basement had survived it would've strained credibility a little too much. However, seeing the Scavo clan crawl out of the rubble was really cool. It was the kind of moment that hearkened back to the first season and reminded my why I started watching Desperate Housewives in the first place.

Another bright spot in this episode was Kathryn Joosten. Actresses like her are the backbone of a decent drama. I wouldn't be surprised if she eventually wins an Emmy for DH like she did for The West Wing.

... Three Subtle Subtitles.

I skipped last week's SS post because I knew we'd be doing three this week. Caption one, two or all three. Friday I'll pick what I think is the best entry for each image. Good luck and happy Festivus!

First up, a shot from the latest episode of Boston Legal:


Next, a scene from last night's The Simpsons ...

It was finally ABC's turn to unveil its winter schedule yesterday. There aren't many surprises in it except that Lost, as rumored, will now air on a new night and that Big Shots, who was benched last week, will get a fifth another chance. ABC's winter programming will also include the premieres of Cashmere Mafia, Dance War: Bruno vs. Carrie Ann, Eli Stone and Oprah's Big Give and the return of a few reality series, such as Supernanny and Wife Swap, to fill the void left when scripted series will have aired all their new episodes.

If you haven't entered our latest giveaways yet, here's a reminder that some are ending today. You've got until 5PM Eastern today to enter the Best of The Colbert Report DVD giveaway and the Ocbober Road season one DVD giveaway. You've got until Wednesday to enter the The Simpsons Game giveaway and until next Friday for the The X-Files Complete Series Collector's Edition DVD giveaway. 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!

It's time for us to give away some stuff ... again! One of today's giveaways is for five copies of October Road season one on DVD, which is already available in stores. All you've got to do is submit a comment below before 5PM Eastern, November 9, and mention why you'd like to own the set. We'll randomly choose five winners to receive the DVDs!

Some other details:

• To enter, leave a confirmed comment below stating why you'd like to own October Road season one on DVD.
• The comment must be left before November 9, 2007 at 5:00PM Eastern Time.
  
• You may enter only once.
• Five winners will be selected in a random drawing.
  
• Five winners will receive a copy of October Road season on on DVD (valued at $29.99).
  

Click here for complete Official Rules.

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Desperate Housewives, Friday Night Lights, Greek, Heroes, October Road, Scrubs, Two and a Half Men, and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

What is all this talk I keep hearing about saving October Road? Is it really worth saving? I watched about as much as I could stand and I really didn't see anything worth fighting for.

First, let's look at the premise: Small town boy comes home and tries to re-assimilate into his old ways. Sounds like an unfunny version of Ed. Besides, Nick seemed to be pretty much back in the groove by the second episode.

What About Brian (Mon., 10PM ET, ABC) 2nd season finale
Or should I say, series finale? The future's not looking bright for this much-improved but little-watched show. It came as a surprise last year when ABC renewed it despite lackluster ratings and dull storylines. This season, it made good creative adjustments, like getting rid of the tiresome triangle and firming up the friendships. Unfortunately, the second chance hasn't won over more viewers, so it's likely buh-bye Brian. In the finale, Dave and Deena plan to renew their vows, Brian and Adam run into babysitting troubles and Nic has her hands full at the cupcake store.

Dirt (Tue., 10PM ET, FX) 1st season finale
Dude, Monica and Rachel make out! Well, that seems to be how FX is selling the season finale of new drama. Jennifer Aniston guest stars as a rival editor who's gunning for Lucy's job. She's not the only one: little Willa craves top-dog status, too. And Lucy's in for a big surprise when she finally learns her stalker's identity. If Dirt returns for a second season, the show needs some serious retooling. Courteney Cox should get a better love interest and the magazine needs a real rival. The battle to scoop the competition is boring when Dirt wins every week.

One of the creators of the freshman drama October Road told the Boston Globe he was surprised that his show -- about a successful writer returning to his Massachusetts hometown filled with people he satirized in his novel -- got picked up. But getting a coveted post-Grey's Anatomy time slot is a lot of pressure.

"Given what's on TV, I do feel like we snuck one by," said Scott Rosenberg, who based October Road "loosely" on his film Beautiful Girls which the Globe said was "loosely based" on his life. "Everyone's out there looking for the next Lost or 24, and here's this little show."

October Road, shot in a suburb of Atlanta but crafted to try to look like an autumnal Boston suburb, features caricatures of some of Rosenberg's friends from his hometown of Needham, friends who still aren't happy with how they were portrayed in Beautiful Girls.

(S01E01) I went into the series premiere of October Road with very low expectations. The reviews, by and large, ranged from "this show is so-so," to "this show blows."

But still, something made me want to watch. It was set in the greater Boston area. (I live in the Boston area.) A character wears a Boston Red Sox cap all the time. (There are many different kinds of Sox caps in my house.) The main character's a writer . . . you get the idea.

With the gift of the time slot after Grey's Anatomy -- but the curse of being up against the NCAA first round games -- October Road was given a golden opportunity that many new series aren't.

And it kind of faltered. But, if ABC gives it enough time (a precious, almost non-existent commodity in today's primetime environment), I think there's a chance that, like the freshman series Brothers & Sisters, it could, repeat, could right its ship. If it stops being so heavy-handed that is.