TVSquad

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: Brothers & Sisters, Chuck, Damages, Desperate Housewives, Heroes, Prison Break, Pushing Daisies, Reaper and Smallville. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

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: 24, Bones, Heroes, Nip/Tuck, Prison Break, Smallville, Stargate: Atlantis and Supernatural. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

Product placement is everywhere, inescapable. According to Dr. Jean Kilbourne, author of Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Changes the Way We Think and Feel, Americans are exposed to approximately 3000 advertisements every single day. Kilbourne has a compelling video called Killing Us Softly that reveals how insidious advertisements are. Ads tell us that women should be thinner, quieter, nicer, want to have cleaner houses. They tell us that men are boarish, lust after women while drinking cheap beers, and order endless rounds of pizza without ever developing a gut. Advertisements not only tell us what we should buy: They tell us how we should think and feel about things and who we should be.

Unfortunately, the price of our entertainment is advertisements. Even when you go to the movies these days, before you have seen any previews, you have seen six commercials for new phones from Verizon and Sprint; and you have paid handsomely for the privilege. This TV Squad Award is amusing, but it is also a testament to how ubiquitous ads are: They have now found their way into the very scripts of some of our very best shows. The only advantage shows like Lost and Battlestar Galactica have is that they mostly take place anachronistically, so advertising would stand out too ridiculously. However, sadly, other outstanding shows have succumbed. And one of the finest is TV Squad's choice to win this award.

I was honestly surprised by the number of responses we got to the call for nominees for The Brought to You by TV Squad Awards. It turns out that a LOT of people are as irritated by blatant product placement as I am. Hurray! Is this the wave of the future? And if it is, can we get advertisers to eliminate commercials? Because if I have to endure ads tucked within my shows, then I don't want even to have to speed past them with my TiVo. Let's have one or the other, shall we? Because I'd hate to start boycotting Krispy Kreme and Stride gum just because I've been bombarded.

As it turns out, there were four stand-out nominees; I will tell you who they are after the jump, and then you will have a chance to vote for the Reader's Choice winner (which, in this case, is actually an obnoxious loser). But I did want to mention two runners up: 30 Rock gets an honorable mention for its mention of Verizon, but it doesn't quite make the cut because of the humorous way it handles the mention, and the show's ability to poke fun at itself. The other honorable mention goes to Ugly Betty for its hour-long ad for Wicked, but it still didn't quite make the cut.

So, the nominees for the most obnoxious abuse of product placement within their episodes are ...

Now that the upfronts have been presented, it's time to start handicapping the ratings (although Jeff Zucker doesn't think Nielsens matter that much anymore). Nevertheless, some are looking at next fall's schedule and predicting a big-time battle royale on Thursday night at 8 o'clock. Which reality show will emerge at the Nielsen number one -- CBS's Survivor or Fox's The Moment of Truth? According to Hollywood Reporter, Fox is taking aim at CBS. When asked at the upfront about positioning The Moment of Truth -- and Hell's Kitchen right behind it -- on that night was a strategic move, the executive was diplomatic at first. He said Fox isn't looking for a battle; they're doing their own thing. But then said of Survivor, "Look, it's eroding. It's an older show. Its eventually going to give up and were trying to accelerate that."

Hmm, sounds like fighting words to me. The Moment of Truth and Hell's Kitchen are two of Fox's three premiere reality shows, behind only American Idol in the ratings. Anyway you slice it, Thursday night is going to be a night to drive TV fans crazy. While Fox and CBS are leading with reality shows to start the night, ABC will offer Emmy winner and critic's darling, Ugly Betty, NBC will serve up its Emmy winner(s) and critic's faves, My Name Is Earl and 30 Rock, and the CW will bring back the venerable fan fave, Smallville. And that's not even considering what the rest of the networks have planned.

I know, I know -- a lot of you are shrugging and saying "so?"

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that if ratings don't improve for the last place network, buzz is that The CW could actually vanish next year. Ratings in the 18-49 demographic are down 28%, and the ratings for the May sweeps are down 22%. I guess Gossip Girl just isn't enough to prop up an entire network, and they just lost Friday Night Smackdown, not to mention that Smallville, Supernatural, and Reaper are probably going into their last seasons.

• ESPN has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, then a new Grey's Anatomy and the season finale (part one) of Lost.
• NBC has the one hour season finale of My Name Is Earl at 8, followed by the one hour season finale of The Office and the season finale of ER.
• The CW has the season finales of Smallville and Supernatural.
• FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8, followed by a new Don't Forget The Lyrics.
• At 9, CBS has a new CSI, followed by a new Without A Trace.
• Ryan Seacrest is the guest on a new Larry King Live, at 9 on CNN.
• Also at 9: Hallmark has the new movie Bridal Fever.
• At 10, Spike has a new TNA Impact.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new 'Lil Bush.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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: Burn Notice, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Kyle XY, Lost, My Boys, Nip/Tuck and Smallville. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• ESPN has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, then new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Lost.
• CBS has a new Survivor at 8, followed by new episodes of CSI and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new My Name Is Earl at 8, then the season (series?) finale of Scrubs, a new episode of The Office, the season finale of 30 Rock, and a new ER.
• FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8, followed by a new Don't Forget The Lyrics.
• The CW has a new Smallville at 8, then a new Supernatural.
• There's a new Overhaulin' on TLC at 8, then new episodes of American Chopper and Miami Ink.
• Also at 8: AMC has the original Planet of the Apes.
• At 8:30, Cartoon Network has a new Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, followed by a new George of the Jungle.
• At 9, HGTV has a new Divine Design.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new 'Lil Bush.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• TNT has NBA Playoffs all night.
• At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, then new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Lost.
• CBS has a new Survivor at 8, followed by new episodes of CSI and Without A Trace.
• NBC has new episodes of My Name Is Earl, Scrubs, The Office, 30 Rock, and ER.
• FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8, then a new Don't Forget The Lyrics.
• There's a new Smallville on The CW at 8, followed by a new Supernatural.
• Discovery has two new episodes of Expedition Alaska at 8.
• TLC has a new Overhaulin' at 8, followed by new episodes of American Chopper and Miami Ink.
• At 9, PBS has a new Carrier.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes.
• At 10:30, Comedy Central has a new 'Lil Bush.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new Ugly Betty, then new episodes of Grey's Anatomy and Lost.
• CBS has a new Survivor at 8, followed by new episodes of CSI and Without A Trace.
• NBC has a new My Name Is Earl at 8, then new episodes of Scrubs, The Office, 30 Rock, and ER.
• The CW has new episodes of Smallville and Supernatural.
• FOX has a new, two-hour Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8.
• PBS has a new Great Performances at 8.
• At 8:30, Cartoon Network has a new Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.
• At 9, Spike has a new TNA Impact.
• At 10, MTV has a new Rock The Cradle.
• There's a new I Know My Kid's A Star on VH-1 at 10.
• At 10:30, Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes.
• Also at 10:30, Comedy Central has a new 'Lil Bush.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, ER, Heroes, Lost, Moonlight, One Tree Hill, Smallville and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

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: 30 Rock, Desperate Housewives, Greek, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, How I Met Your Mother , Numb3rs, Smallville and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• CBS has March Madness all night.
• At 8, ABC has two new episodes of Miss Guided.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8, followed by the finale of Celebrity Apprentice.
• FOX has a new Are You Smarter Than A Fifth Grader? at 8, then a new Don't Forget The Lyrics.
• The CW has new episodes of Smallville and Reaper.
• AMC has Letters From Iwo Jima at 8.
• At 9, HGTV has a new Divine Design.
• At 9:30, HBO has a new In Treatment.
• At 10, ABC has a new Eli Stone.
• Spike has a new TNA Impact at 10.
• At 10:30, Food Network has a new Ace of Cakes.
• Also at 10:30: Comedy Central has a new Lil' Bush.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Some of you know her as Candice Wilmer, the Heroes character who had the ability of illusion (she could mimic someone or an environment), others know her as Andi from The CW's Reaper. With roles like these, you have to admit that Missy Peregrym is a TV star on the rise.

25-year-old Melissa "Missy" Peregrym was born on June 16, 1982, in Montreal, Quebec, but was raised in British Columbia, where Reaper is shot. As it is the case for many actors, Missy never dreamed of being an actress when she grew up. Actually, she wanted to be a coach. After graduating, she took on a job as a basketball coach. Peregrym eventually made it to the business by first being a model for print advertisements and then appearing in TV commercials for companies such as Mercedes Benz and Sprint Canada. These commercials paved the way for her first gig on TV: a guest starring role on FOX's Dark Angel.