TVSquad

FOX's second day on TCA was given over to FX, and network president John Landgraf had some news:

• They are ordering an additional 19 episodes of Nip/Tuck. The show will be end its run in early 2011 with an even 100 episodes. Show-runner Ryan Murphy wil stay through the end of the run.
• Michael J. Fox will appear on a four episode arc of Rescue Me next season. He'll play Janet Gavin's new boyfriend, who is confined to a wheelchair.
• Oscar-winner Marcia Gay Harden will be a regular on second season of Damages.
• The network has ordered 39 more episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. This is in addition to 13 currently being produced for the upcoming season.
• They are ordering 13 episode of new comedy series Testees, created by Kenny Hotz (South Park - Kenny vs Spenny). Its about two friends in their early 30's who earn living as medical guinea pigs.

Due to the complicated and apparently outdated Emmy Awards nomination rules, prime-time animated shows like Family Guy, The Simpsons, American Dad, South Park and others have had to choose which Emmy category they want to compete in, animated or comedy series. Then, that decision impacts eligibility for writers and animators on those shows in other categories. Well, Family Guy is in a unique position this year, as their "Blue Harvest" Star Wars parody was classified as a special. And as the animated category looks at single episodes, Family Guy can submit "Blue Harvest" to the animated category, and the show itself, to comedy series.

I'd say it's a tremendous long shot that an animated show can be nominated over the live-action comedy series it will be facing. But there's always a first time for everything; when Disney's animated Beauty and the Beast picked up an Oscar nod for "Best Picture" it was groundbreaking in the same way. It's a tough debate. These shows compete with prime-time comedies every week and yet get put up against the likes of Spongebob Squarepants come awards time. How do you compare The Venture Brothers and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends?

Being the award for Excellence in Animation, this was easily the widest ranging category, and you all really came through in your nomination suggestions (sorry The Venture Brothers doesn't qualify). With animation owning several channels all to itself and still appearing everywhere else, you've got kid's shows, very much adult only series (did I mention The Venture Brothers can't get nominated?), gag cartoons, sci-fi cartoons and even gothic horror.

With your help from my Adam Finley Award call for nominations post last week where you tried to trick me into nominating The Venture Brothers, even though I can't, we've managed to narrow down the field of contenders to what we feel were the five strongest entries into the wide world of television animation in the past season. Don't forget to check out the Reader's Choice at the bottom where you can vote for which of the five you think are deserving to win. Next week, we'll be revealing both your winner and ours.

For many longtime TV Squad readers the name Adam Finley could only be associated with one thing: the wide world of animation. Adam was passionate about animation, covering many shows for us here as well as reporting on anything and everything happening in the industry. So it's only right that the award for Excellence in Animation be named after him.

There's all kinds of possibilities for contenders here. I'd give a nod to both Star Wars tributes -- Family Guy and Robot Chicken -- and South Park definitely stretched their animation style with 'Major Boobage,' but I didn't think the episode was all that good. Aqua Teen Hunger Force had some good episodes this season (personal favorites include the VeggieTales parody and that crazy trilogy that opened the season).

But I've by no means watched all the best in animation this year, so I call out to you, dear readers. Which episodes or shows do you think set the bar or even raised it in this past year? Are The Simpsons out of their prime and not worthy of TVS recognition? How about King of the Hill or American Dad? The new The Mr. Men Show is retro-tastic, simple, but still cleverly awesome! Too many to handle! Help me TVS Readers, you're my only hope!

Welcome to Subtle Subtitles. For those of you who are uninitiated to the purpose of this feature, we're asking you to come up with your funniest quote or description for what's going on in the screen grab we choose for the week. Winners are announced in the following Friday's contest.

Last contest's winner: Rob

This week, a scene from the season premiere of Hell's Kitchen ...

Like a lot of writers, I have an idea folder (it's manila, but I have it covered in puffy rainbow and unicorn stickers, so it's beautiful). As each week progresses, I jot down all my ideas -- for columns, for stand-up bits, for ransom notes -- and at the end of that week, I take stock of my creative output.

This week, I noticed that there were a lot of ideas that I wanted to share, but that weren't quite big enough for a full TV 101 column. I attached them to the end of my last column in a section called "Dribs and Drabs." It was a good thought, except that it took an already bloated piece (my writing makes the Unabomber's manifesto look like a dream of concise thought) and puffed it up into a 3000 word monstrosity. My editor suggested I break up the Dribs and Drabs section into its own piece, and that, dear readers, is what I did. Dribs and Drabs, after the jump...

Just in time for those of us dealing with the holiday blues comes "the ultimate first-person shooter": Heroin Hero. For those of you not familiar with the "Guitar Queer-o" episode of South Park, Heroin Hero is the game that Stan plays to get his mind off the pressure that he faces as one of the new rising stars of the game Guitar Hero. Your goal in the game is to catch the dragon, but the thing is... you can never catch the dragon.

I've played the game and I have to say, it's fun. It's something to do on the weekends when you're just chilling out with your friends, not addictive at all. I mean, sure, sometimes I'll play it before work (or sometimes during work) just to mellow out, but like, I can stop any time I want. In fact, I'm so sure I can stop, I'm going to stop writing this article right now so I can go play some more...

It's that festive time of year when children put tinsel on the television antennas and hang mistletoe over their favorite DVDs. Where celebrities check into rehab to spend the holidays with all their celebrity friends. And where the rest of America is invited to corporate non-specific, non-religious, non-alcoholic generic winter holiday luncheons where they can mingle with their co-workers and say things like "Remember when this company used to have real Christmas parties?"

But while political correctness may have ruined most holiday functions, nothing can ruin Festivus! That magical season in which TV Squadders hope and pray for televisions dreams come true. And I know just what I want...

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 Dr. Katz complete series giveaway and the Christmas Time in South Park giveaway. You've got until next thursday to enter The OC complete series DVD giveaway and the Gilmore Girls season seven DVD giveaway. Lastly, you've got until next Monday to enter the big Tin Man prize pack giveaway (iPod Nano!)

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!

• At 6:30,TBS has the Red Sox/Angels game, followed by the Cubs/Diamondbacks.
• At 8, ABC has the series premiere of Pushing Daisies, followed by new episodes of Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money.
• CBS has a new Kid Nation at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has new episodes of Deal Or No Deal, Bionic Woman, and Life.
• There's a new Back To You on FOX at 8, then new episodes of 'Til Death and Kitchen Nightmares.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model, followed by a new Gossip Girl.
• PBS has a new Wired Science at 8.
• At 9, Lifetime has the new TV movie Lost in the Dark.
• History Channel has a new Lost Worlds at 9.
• Also at 9: Sci-Fi has a new Ghost Hunters.
• At 10, Comedy Central has the season premiere of South Park, then the season premiere of The Sarah Silverman Program.
• Bravo has the live season finale of Top Chef at 10.
• HBO has a new Inside the NFL at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

The tenth season of South Park was released on DVD recently, and a few brief clips from the season featuring commentary from Matt and Trey have been posted on Comedy Central. I've placed them below for your enjoyment.

It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who saw the episodes "Cartoon Wars" and "Smug Alert!" that neither Matt nor Trey have much fondness for Family Guy or San Francisco. The fellas also reveal that part of the reason for making "Cartoon Wars" a two-parter was because they wanted more time to convince Comedy Central to let them show Mohamed. And we all know how that worked out.

Geeks get treated pretty badly in the media. Thanks to the fact that most people who get above-the-line credit in Hollywood are anything but geeky, when a script calls for a socially maladjusted character, it's almost always a terrible caricature of true geek culture. For years little geeklings only had the likes of Steve Urkel to look up to and that's not right (believe me, Jaleel White, when the geek revolution comes, you'll be the first one guillotined).

The fact that I'm about to become the father of my own little geek-spawn has led me to start looking around the current TV landscape, looking for appropriate geek role models. I was surprised to find so many...

• At 8, ABC has two new episodes of George Lopez.
• CBS has a new Jericho at 8, then new episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: NY.
• NBC has new episodes of Friday Night Lights, Crossing Jordan, and Medium.
• There's a new 'Til Death on FOX at 8, then a new American Idol.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8.
• Food Network has a new Emeril Live at 8.
• At 9, Discovery has a new Mythbusters.
• Travel Channel has a new World Poker Tour at 9.
• At 9:30, ABC has a new In Case of Emergency, followed by a new Lost.
• At 10, HGTV has a new Top Design.
• Also at 10: Comedy Central has a new South Park, followed by a new Halfway Home.
• At 10:30, Food Network has a new Dinner: Impossible.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new episode of The Great American Dream Vote, then new episodes of According To Jim, In Case of Emergency, and Lost.
• CBS has a new Jericho at 8.
• FOX has a new Bones and then a new American Idol.
• There's a new Friday Night Lights on NBC at 8, then new episodes of Crossing Jordan and Medium.
• The CW has a new America's Next Top Model at 8.
• PBS has a new Journey To Planet Earth at 8.
• Also at 8: TCM has a Boston Blackie movie marathon.
• At 9, HGTV has a new Design on a Dime.
• At 10, History Channel has a new Modern Marvels.
• Bravo has a new Top Design at 10.
• Also at 10: Comedy Central has a new South Park, followed by a new Halfway Home.

Check your local TV listings for more.

It's almost time to warm up the barbecue, invite your friends over, open a few beers, and then tell everyone to get the hell out of your house so you can watch South Park. That's right, the eleventh season of the show kicks off March 7 at 10:00pm on Comedy Central.

I'm ninety-nine percent sure I'll be reviewing the episodes again, since I know a lot of you love to talk about the show. South Park has never been timid in its satire, but last season it really gave a beat down to Al Gore; 9/11 conspiracy theories; Oprah and James Frey; censorship through intimidation; science vs. religion; and Scientology (again). I think season ten marked some of the best episodes of the series so far, and I can't wait to see what Matt and Trey have on tap for season eleven.