TVSquad

I don't want to say that I'm psychic or anything (I'm not, though I can bend spoons), but I had a feeling that Eastwick wouldn't last beyond one season after I saw the new shows at the ABC upfront. I don't know why or how I thought that, probably a combination of the plot, the time slot, the network it was on, and how programming on the networks is these days, but I just didn't think it would last.

And now it looks like it won't. ABC has declined to order more episodes of the series. This isn't an official "cancellation" but it's a very bad sign for the show.

There's more news coming from ABC too, and this is actually surprising: they've ordered 5 more episodes of The Forgotten. That's a show I thought would be gone quick too. It still could be, since ratings aren't great (though better than Eastwick's) and it hasn't exactly been critically-acclaimed.

(S01E07) "You say cursed like it's a bad thing." - Darryl to Roxie

Eastwick continues to gel a little bit more with each episode, and it's fun seeing the witches discover and hone their powers.

In last night's episode, I kept thinking that none of what happens should come as any big shock to the witches. For instance, Kat shouldn't be amazed that Joanna says she can move things with her mind, because she's made the weather change, for goodness sake.

But maybe they're trying to make the women more real by not jumping into things. If something weird happened in real life, you wouldn't automatically think, "oh, I'm a witch." You'd probably think it's just a strange coincidence, or at the most, there are forces in the world we know little about.

(S01E06) "It's like you've stepped out of a 70's porno and into my life." - Roxie to Darryl

It's Halloween, and there's no better place to be than Eastwick. Unless you've got an insane pastor on your tail who's bound and determined to make you pay for your past sins (see photo above).

But first, the celebration! Everyone decorates coffins, fills them up with whatever's been bothering them this past year, brings them to the giant witch statue, and watches them burn. Sounds like a party, doesn't it?

(S01E05) "The inner animals of our citizenry will be released." - Darryl

As some of us have said on previous Eastwick reviews and comments, the show seems to be moving along at a snail's pace. But -- as some of you have also said -- that's not always a bad thing. Let things simmer. Let the plot slowly unwind itself. Let the characters evolve organically. Let's just hope it doesn't simmer too long.

But we definitely got lots of simmer with this episode, especially the scene with the red-hot Jaime Ray Newman as sultry Kat atop the piano. I kept thinking about how Darryl's blonde attorney was talking down to Kat, saying her hair was lifeless and such. There was nothing lifeless about her on that piano.

(S01E04) "No, they're boob-iful." - Penny's response when Joanna asks if her boobs are weird.

I'm reluctant to get too invested in Eastwick, because I have a feeling it might be canceled and then I'll just be ticked off. On the other hand, it's getting better, and once again, they twisted things just a little bit in the last 20 seconds of the episode.

But first, let's talk about what's going on with each of the witches:

Kat. Oy, it makes me so mad that she keeps going back to Raymond, even though he's an absolute ass. And I would NOT have fired Ivanka the tigress lawyer. Kat needs her, and I have a feeling her bird's nest plan to let the kids stay in the house and have her and Raymond take turns staying there won't work. He's too much of an ass. Why doesn't she just cast some horrible spell on him? I know ... the kids. On the flipside, it might be fun having her stay at Joanna's.

(S01E03) Eastwick is definitely getting more interesting, even though my husband came in during the last half, said he was creeped out, and promptly declared the show a "dragedy." I think that's a step up from last week when he called it "dribble" (or "drivel" - either one works).

The fact that Roxie kept seeing a dead Gus at every turn was a little creepy. Hey, all she needed to say was "I'm sorry," and he'd go away. Since "screw you" didn't work, she finally made the right call at the end, when she went with her daughter to return something of Gus's to his mom. Then Gus the ghost disappeared.

Hmmm ... I wouldn't have minded him sticking around for another episode or two; maybe Roxie could have found a way to torture him a little more for almost raping her daughter. Oh wait, he's dead, so there's that. Anyway, I'm guessing there will be more ghosts in this show.

(S01E02) About half-way into this episode of Eastwick, my husband came into the room and said, "This is mind-numbing dribble, posing as a plot." My husband never minces words, and while I'm usually the good cop in the relationship, I have to agree with him on this one. It IS mind-numbing dribble. At least, this episode was. I'm a little sad about it, too, because the show seems like it could work. Don't you think?

(S01E01) Is it bad that my favorite character on Eastwick is a supporting character? That would be the fabulous Sara Rue, who starred in Less Than Perfect from 2002 - 2006. I loved that show! She's done other stuff since then, but that's what I remember her for. in Eastwick, she plays the sideline character of Penny, a co-worker of Joanna's (Lindsay Price). Hopefully, Sara will get plenty of screen time.

Let's talk about the show. Eastwick is based on the John Updike book The Witches of Eastwick, which spawned the 1987 movie by the same name, starring Jack Nicholson, Cher, Susan Sarandon, and Michelle Pfeiffer. Of note is that Veronica Cartwright, who played Felicia Alden in the movie, is playing the part of Bun Waverly in this new series. There was also a 2002 TV movie starring Marcia Cross that perhaps had three or four viewers.

The folks at our sister site Cinematical are working hard to give you news and reviews of the best -- and worst -- the silver screen has to offer. Here are some of their latest musings on the latest blockbusters, indies, and everything in between:

• So, if in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Brad Pitt starts off as a tiny old-man, why wouldn't he end up as a giant baby? Cinematical has the answer.
• When we were in high school, my friends and I got together with a VHS camcorder and made Scream 4. It was pretty amazing. What's weird is that even though we didn't get a film deal, Scream 4 is heading to theaters. Neve Campbell needs a job, people.
• Granted, I've missed a lot of movies in the theaters this year, but I still think The Dark Knight is one of the best films of the year. What do you think? Check out Cinematical's top 10 list.
• Hey, want to see something really creepy? Jerry O'Connell and his wife, Rebecca Romijn, are putting her maternity leave to good use by making Mystique and Me, a new Funny or Die video. It's quite funny and quite disturbing.
• As much as I enjoyed The Dark Knight, I don't think Maggie Gyllenhaal and Christian Bale had a ton of chemistry -- at least not enough to make it onto the Cinematical Seven's Best On-Screen Chemistry of 2008 list.

The Emmy nominations won't be announced until July 17, but we can tell you right now without a doubt that Ugly Betty's Rebecca Romijn will not be among the outstanding supporting actress in a comedy category at the Emmys. No, we're not psychic. It's just that her spokesman has confirmed that her name was never actually submitted. DOH! And why was that, you wonder. No good reason, said her rep, "It was an oversight."

According to L.A. Times' Tom O'Neil, this isn't really that far-fetched an occurrence. Tim Allen, at the height of his Home Improvement success, missed a chance for an Emmy nomination when somebody fumbled the ball. The next year, his paperwork was hand-delivered, accompanied by the University of Southern California marching band.

Romijn's omission -- on the surface -- looks like a mistake. Yes, it's true that her status on the show is going from series regular to recurring, but I don't believe she purposely kept her name out of the running to in some way act out in protest against the show. It makes no sense? How is she hurting Ugly Betty by not getting an Emmy nomination? No, this was a screw up, nothing more.

Ugly Betty definitely avoided the sophomore slump, but something was missing from the show's post-strike episodes. Elements that made the first season great were left out of the second part of season two. Fortunately, Ugly Betty only needs to make some small changes to return to its former glory. Feel free to add your own suggestions to my list.

Bring Cliff back - It's nice to see Marc do something besides taunt Betty or do Wili's bidding. Season one's "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" proved that Marc has a heart, and his relationship with Cliff continued to explore that sensitive side. Marc found love by looking beyond surface beauty, which is what the show is all about. The post-strike episodes favored Betty's love triangle at the expense of the other characters' relationships. Why have so many well-written relationships if you're only going to focus on one or two? The fantastic ensemble cast had better get more screen time in season three.

Now that we know that Ugly Betty is coming back next season (it was never in doubt) and that the Ugly Betty production is moving to New York, executive producer Silvio Horta has shared a few more bits of news and tidbits about Betty and company.

For starters, the producers are determined to streamline the show, taking advantage of being in NYC and sharpening the focus of the show. Horta said the goal for the Ugly Betty writing team for season three is "to make the show more about Betty's journey and to weave the characters into more unified, emotionally grounded plots."

Ugly Betty fans will see less of Alexis Meade next season. In a recent interview with the New York Post, Rebecca Romijn admitted that she will not be a series regular when the show returns this fall. Romijn also implied that this change in status could prompt her to leave the show altogether. E!'s Kristin Dos Santos is reporting that the producers went against Romijn's wishes by demoting her.

There have been a lot of personnel changes to the Ugly Betty staff over the last year. Five writers were fired between the show's first and second seasons, and executive producers Marco Pennette and James Hayman were let go in February. According to E!, Pennette "created and championed" Romijn's character.

(S02E13) It might not have been an official season finale (a faux-nale?), but this week's Ugly Betty could be the last one we see for a very long time. I miss the show already. So many issues are up in the air! What will happen with the Henry-Betty-Gio triangle? Will Wili's baby scheme succeed? Is Ignacio ever going to get another storyline? For now, we'll either have to use our imaginations or content ourselves with the Season One DVD. I've never been big on fanfic, so I'm going with Option B.

(S02E12) Courtroom drama! Perfume that makes you crazy! Baby-making schemes! This week's Ugly Betty had all the telenovela angles covered. In the grand tradition of fictional court proceedings, Claire's murder trial was over and done with in a couple of days. Don't you love that about TV? There was even time to spare for Gio, Wili, and Christina. Good thing, too, because there's only one episode left. Better get your fill of Suzuki St. Pierre now, folks.