TVSquad

Looky there. With just those seven little words The Sarah Connor Chronicles has become the show I'm most looking forward to next season. With music, there's nothing I like more than putting a little Garbage on the turntable. Because of that, over the years I've become just a little bit obsessed with Shirley Manson. And now comes word that the lovely and talented Miss Manson has been signed to the show.

Just that is enough to make me watch, but it gets even better. This isn't a musical guest like someone stopping by to play at P3 or the Montecito. Oh no, Shirley will join the cast in a regular role as Catherine Weaver, CEO of a high-tech company. One could certainly argue that it's stunt casting, or that they could find a more qualified actor to take on such a big role. But any crazy argument like that will fall on deaf ears here pal. It's Shirley Manson. That's all I need to know.

I suppose most people would lead with the fact that Jay Mohr has signed on to Ed Yeager's untitled comedy pilot for CBS. After all, Jay does have that regular gig on Ghost Whisperer. In a nutshell, Mohr and Paula Marshall play a couple that has recently divorced, after fifteen years of marriage. The funny is scheduled to arrive as we watch Mohr's character try to juggle his ex-wife, their two kids, and his new girlfriend, played by Jaime King.

That's all well and good. For me though, the far more interesting bit is Paula Marshall's involvement. I find her career fascinating. She's been on a bunch of great shows. The Wonder Years, Seinfeld, Nash Bridges (don't laugh, Nash was very successful), Spin City, Sports Night, Just Shoot Me, Nip/Tuck, and Veronica Mars, to name a few. Yet, for whatever reason, whenever she gets a starring gig, it all seems to go to hell. See Cupid, Snoops, Hidden Hills, and Out Of Practice. I don't get it. I like everything she's ever done, but it just doesn't work. So, I don't have high hopes for this production. However, it does offer a thought. It's quite possible that Paula was all set to star in a great new show for Tim Minear. Unfortunately, the sheer power of their combined abilities to kill shows sent the series itself back in time, canceling itself before the idea even came to be.

(S05E06) "These people are crazy. The only reason I moved out here was because they threw a bunch of money at me. And... the golfing opportunities." - Nurse Linda

What a great episode! It was different, unique for this show, and was clearly a challenge to shoot and edit so that the "reality" look and feel were achieved. It certainly wasn't the best episode of Nip/Tuck, but I'm all for stuff like this. Taking chances with proven formulas is something I can respect. Anybody pay attention to the beginning? When Christian was trying to convince Sean to do Plastic Fantastic with him? Christian made some comment about how "reality is the future." Granted this was written and shot at least a few months ago, but it's still a little eerie considering the current TV climate because of the WGA strike. Kind of ironic that we all sat down to watch a scripted drama spoofing reality TV when all these writers are fighting to be compensated for creative episodes like this and actual reality is slowly taking over every channel.

(S05E05) "You don't want to play this game with me." - Christian

No you don't. The second Christian said that to Eden, a clock started and all episode long we were waiting for the alarm to go off. What was he going to do to her? For a minute, I honestly thought nothing. He gave her the pills and Eden was on her way, her mouth shut about Christian and Julia's night together. Maybe it was because I watched the episode early this morning and I was still a little drowsy, but I never saw it coming. Well played Dr. Troy.

(S05E04) "I was attacked by a giant wedge-tailed eagle in Calgary." - Dawn

The return of the best guest star Nip/Tuck has ever had! Say what you will about Rosie O'Donnell (I couldn't stand her on The View), but when she steps into the shoes of Dawn Budge, it's gold. She was one of the highlights of last season (not to mention Christian's first paying "escort" customer) and her trip to Los Angeles easily made this episode an instant Nip/Tuck classic. From her hang-glider scene when the eagle attacked her to the face she made when the "ass bandit" had his way with her, she stole every scene she was in.

(S05E03) "Are you comparing the birth of your children to me shitting in a hot tub?" - Kate

I really don't know what Sean thinks he's doing. Sure, Kate seems nice. She's beautiful, smart, and funny too. But could you really find it in yourself to stay with someone who craps in a hot tub while you're trying to make out with them? It might sound shallow, but that definitely counts as a defining moment that should at least make you question the relationship. Kate has way too much emotional baggage and with the way Sean's life has gone, the last thing he needs is a crazy chick. Christian is right. Sean sure can pick 'em.

(S05E02) "No matter how old I get, these champagne cups seem to be frozen in time." - Fiona

Let the Hollywood exploitation begin! Two episodes into the new season and Ryan Murphy and Co. are already taking advantage of Nip/Tuck's new location. Competing Marilyn Monroe impersonators is something we would have never seen had Sean and Christian decided to stay in Miami. Now that they're out west, I'm quite sure that this will be the first in a long line of Tinseltown degenerates looking for ways to "enhance" themselves and make an extra buck.

(S05E01) "I feel like I'm trying to sell semen at a whore house." - Christian

Life just ain't easy for Sean McNamara and Christian Troy. They moved out to LA thinking it would bring them a fresh start. Sean had just put a messy divorce with Julia to bed. Christian had backed out of his engagement to Michelle. They needed a new beginning. After pouring all their money into a new state-of-the-art Rodeo Drive operation and recovery facility, what do they have to show for it? Nothing. Saying that you "almost" did some work on Joan Rivers isn't exactly a great resume when no one has heard of you.

The set-up was to be expected. Of course it wasn't going to be easy. Everyone is a plastic surgeon in Hollywood. But it's been two months since they switched coasts and the money is running thin. That's where this season of Nip/Tuck draws its plot from and watching Sean and Christian crack the secrets of their new celebrity infested locale is plenty of fun for us viewers. I think we've got a good season in store.

I was a fan of the short-lived Jeremy Piven show Cupid, which aired on ABC in the late 90s. But I never would have thought that of all of the shows that have been canceled that it would be the one that would make a comeback, ten years later.

But that's what's happening. Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, who created Cupid, was looking for a show sort of like Cupid to do for ABC, and ABC just asked if he wanted to do Cupid again. And Sony gave the OK. The setting of the show will move from Chicago to Los Angeles, so they can have more guest stars (let's all say it at once: "ugh"). You can watch most of the original pilot here (part one isn't there for some reason).

Of course, Piven won't star in the remake. He's too busy doing HBO's Entourage and big screen movies. So who should we get for the lead role? How about Matthew Perry?

Veteran actress Paula Marshall is joining the FX show Nip/Tuck this fall. She'll play Dylan Walsh's love interest for at least four episodes.

I call her a veteran actress even though shes not that old (her birthday was last week - Happy Birthday Paula!). She's been on a ton of TV shows over the years. Some should have lasted longer than they did (Sports Night, Veronica Mars, Cupid), and some probably lasted longer than they should have (Out of Practice, Snoops).

ABC had garnered a fair amount of press over this one because of the obvious tie-in to the Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie movie. The big news is that the creators of the movie are back for the TV show. Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity, Swingers) and Simon Kinberg (X-Men: The Last Stand) have signed on to try and transform their movie to the small screen.

Ah Festivus, it's a magical time of the year. Hurricanes, week long power outages, how can you not be in the mood to celebrate? While my real world desires would lean more toward the practical, like a generator, so the next time 5000 trees get thrown on the power lines I don't have to miss Las Vegas, Dr. Who and South of Nowhere, these are some of my TV universe wishes for the coming year.

TV on DVD - Every week I read Bob's list of the new DVD releases, and every week I have the same reaction. How can THAT be coming out on DVD but none of my top 5 most wanted are? Seriously, there is more of a market for the Stacked DVD than any of these? I'm not greedy. I'll settle for just one of these shows to finally get the DVD set it deserves. Cupid, Beggars and Choosers, Going To California, Maximum Bob, or Mr & Mrs Smith.

This isn't based on any internet rumors or speculation, tips to TV Squad headquarters, or even reading of mystical tea leaves by a strange mystic in Chinatown. Just a thought that occurred to me while I was watching Studio 60's "Nevada Day, Part 2." What if all the stuff in Pahrump with Judge Bebe was a backdoor pilot? Does that seem like something you'd be interested in?

I like the idea for a few reasons. First, John Goodman was very good as Judge Bebe, and it would be nice to see him back on our TV in a weekly gig. And while I think we might have our quota for serialized drama filled right now, there is still room for a quirky ensemble comedy. Pahrump would be the perfect setting for that. Aside from Judge Bebe, the D.A., and the smarter than he seems deputy that we have already met, there are all kinds of directions they could go with the rest of the cast.

We at TV Squad tend to think that we're blogging in a bubble; we post from homes and offices that are scattered around the country and truly don't expect many people to see what we write (at least I don't... just a little quirk of mine). So when not one, but two actors from a show you've covered comment on a post about that show, you sit up and take notice.

That's what happened last week, when both Christopher Gorham and Paula Marshall wrote comments on a post I wrote about their show, Out of Practice, getting shelved, along with fellow Monday at 9:30 exile Courting Alex. So, I reached out to both of them to respond and vent. Both answered, and Chris was the first that was willing to talk. We spoke by phone this past Friday.

In Out of Practice, the 31-year-old actor plays Benjamin Barnes, youngest son of a family of doctors. Ben's the only one who didn't finish medical school, instead becoming a marriage therapist. The ironic thing is, he's probably the sanest person in the Barnes family.

The show boasts a top-notch cast, which -- besides Marshall and Gorham -- also includes Henry Winkler, Stockard Channing, Ty Burrell, and Jennifer Tilly. It's executive producers are Chrisopher Lloyd and Joe Keenan, who were long-time producers on the classic sitcom Fraiser.

In this interview (after the jump), Chris discusses his frustrations with how his show is being treated, gushes on the writers and his castmates, and responds to people who say he and Marshall are "show killers".

[Photo: Lester Cohen/WireImage]