TVSquad

(S01E01) In the first five minutes of this show, viewers are treated to a visual definition of the phrase "fish out of water."

I generally don't like any comedy that starts out with the the main character losing everything and starting her life all over again. In a drama, it kind of works that the hero has to go from town to town searching for something she lost. In a comedy, it just means that we'll be spending the next half hour watching the hero say things like, "What did I get myself into?"

How good are you at spotting someone's true age? There's been a few times I've caught myself wondering how old that actor really is on TV, when they're playing someone my age and look ten years older. Do I really look that good? Then again, I've seen the opposite and thought, "damn, I am an old decrepit fart." In any case, I'll pull up IMDb and usually find myself in shock of how young/old the actor on-screen really is.

The whole actor-to-character age ratio thing got me curious, so I did a little research (with the help of some of the TV Squad team) and made a list of some of the more extreme and well-known (or, maybe to some, not-so-well-known) examples. By the way, we didn't include actors who played flashback scenes of their characters for short periods of time, as there are more of those than we have room for.

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 Gilmore Girls season seven and The OC Complete Series DVD giveaways. You've got until tomorrow to enter the Chappelle's Show series collection giveaway and the Young Indiana Jones volume two 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!

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!

As if we didn't already have some incredible things to giveaway here already, here's one that just passed over the TV Squad desk just the other night, and it couldn't possibly wait until next week. We've got two copies of The OC - The Complete Series on DVD, which is already available in stores today. All you've got to do is submit a comment below before 5PM Eastern, December 6, and mention why you'd like to own the series. We'll randomly choose two winners to receive the DVDs!

Some other details:
Click here for complete Official Rules.

CBS is on a good run, being the most watched network for the last five years, but they have taken a bit of heat for the formulaic way they have gone about doing it. Not arguing with success, the whole family of CSIs, and their crime based cousins, will be back, but the network is trying to branch out with some edgier programming. Most notably, Swingtown, Viva Laughlin, and Moonlight.

Returning: The Amazing Race, Cold Case, 60 Minutes, How I Met Your Mother, The New Adventures of Old Christine, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, CSI: Miami, NCIS, The Unit, Criminal Minds, CSI: NY, Survivor, CSI, Shark, Without A Trace, Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, 48 Hours Mystery.

New: Viva Laughlin, Swingtown, Moonlight, Cane, Big Bang Theory, Power of 10, Kid Nation

Out: King of Queens, Jericho, The Class, Close To Home

Moving: Without A Trace moves back to Thursday at 10. Shark heads to Sunday at 10.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• It's "turn off your TV week." Whew! Good thing I'm here to keep you posted on things like this breaking news: Adam Brody wants to grow facial hair!
• Also, it's American Idol's week to give back (and also take like never before but let's not focus on that.)
  
• Who will the huge mystery duet singers be on American Idol's results show this week?

The video's embedded below, or you can download the file directly (Quicktime required). You can also subscribe to this podcast via our feed.

Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier (Mon., 9PM ET, History)
Space ... it's still the final frontier. Watching this special celebrating 40 years of Star Trek, I'm struck by how forward-looking the show was. Sure, the uniforms were totally '60s and the plots were super cheesy, but the concepts were light years ahead of their time. Mr. Spock himself, Leonard Nimoy, narrates, with stars William Shatner, Patrick Stewart and Kate Mulgrew sharing insights into their various incarnations of Trek. Plus, see footage from last October's auction of Trek memorabilia.

American Idol (Tue., 8PM ET, Fox)
Is it just me or are this year's top 24 contestants almost completely unmemorable? Looking over their photos, I strained to recall each one. Actually, one did stand out -- the beatboxing guy, Blake. But can he sing? I think the judges were right in saying this season is more up for grabs than any since season one. This week, experience six hours of Idol overload, with the top 12 boys performing tonight, the girls taking their turn tomorrow and a two-hour results show Thursday. Phew!

Anne Heche sure loves 'em and leaves 'em. ET is reporting the Men in Trees star has left husband Coley Laffoon (with whom she has a son) for co-star James Tupper. Heche and Tupper's characters are romantically involved on the show.

But here's the problem with co-stars hooking up: they often eventually break up. And when they do, it sure causes havoc with TV storylines.

Fox has finally set an actual date for the premiere of Drive, but it's probably not what the cast and crew were hoping for. Beginning March 1st, Drive will take over the Thursday at 9 slot that has been home to The O.C. this season. I suppose it's better than the Friday slot Minear's Wonderfalls got, but not by much.

If you're a glass half full type, the good news is that expectations for that slot are low. The O.C. has struggled to reach even 4 million viewers this season. Drive should be able to best that pretty easily. On the other hand, if you're a glass half empty person, it is also the toughest time slot of the week. Not only will they be going up against the number 1 and 2 shows on TV in Grey's Anatomy and C.S.I, but they also face Supernatural, which I think has some crossover with viewers who would watch Drive.

Hey, Brigitte here with TV Squad Daily. I'll be covering the TV stories I find interesting each day, Monday through Friday, in this video blog.

Today on TV Squad Daily:

• Love it or hate it, the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show is on CBS tonight
• Do they know something we don't? Simon Cowell was voted the second most desirable man alive by women in the U.K.
  
• Rachel Bilson and Adam Brody split - will this be the final straw for the already struggling The O.C.?

The video's embedded after the jump below, or you can download the file directly (Quicktime required). You can also subscribe to this vodcast via our feed.

The O.C. is back after taking an Olympic hiatus and things are as crazy as ever in Newport Beach. Ryan embarks on a road trip with Johnny's new-to-town cousin, Sadie. He and Sadie are attempting to track down Johnny's deadbeat dad for unpaid child support. I'm not exactly sure how I feel about this Sadie girl. Chili was a bizarro Seth, and it seems as if Sadie is a bizarro Theresa. She looks like Theresa and she acts like Theresa. She has that whole nice girl from the wrong side of town vibe. I'm just not buying it. How is she that overly polite, but still ready to kick some deadbeat dad ass at the drop of a hat?