TVSquad

Why have one outlaw biker show when you can have two? I always find it a little odd when you see two movies or television shows pop up at the same time that share strikingly similar premises. And that's what we have here. Sons Of Anarchy, from The Shield writer/executive producer Kurt Sutter, centers on an outlaw motorcycle club in Charming, CA. Clearly much different than HBO's 1%, which tells the story of an outlaw motorcycle club in Carefree, AZ. They're two completely different states after all.

Of course, I kid... a little bit. The shows do have different takes on the subject, and there is a rundown of the development time lines for both of them in the article at The Hollywood Reporter. Sons will focus on Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) and the conflict that develops as his loyalty to the club clashes with his trepidation where their lawlessness is concerned. Sutter's wife, Katey Sagal, is along for the ride as Teller's mother. The role of Jax's step-father was played by Scott Glenn in the pilot but will be recast in the series. I'm not sure if there is room for two biker shows on the television schedule, but with Sutter in charge of Sons, and Donal Logue signed on for 1%, I'll have to take a look at both of them.

It's always a good thing when an Oscar winner deigns to do TV, and based on her past efforts, I have high hopes for The Tower knowing that Marcia Gay Harden has joined the cast. The Tower, is a new CBS pilot about a group of Chicago reporters. Marcia Gay Harden is going to play Zoe, the millionaire owner of the newspaper, the leader of the pack.

Since winning the 2001 best supporting Oscar for Pollack, which was directed and co-starred her husband Ed Harris, Marcia's gone back and forth between TV and features. She received another Oscar nom for Mystic River in 2004, and last season did a memorable -- and Emmy nominated -- turn as a determined, driven FBI agent on Law & Order: SVU.

Starz, the cable network, is getting into original production and their first project will be based on the 2005 Best Picture Oscar-winning film Crash. Glen Mazzara, whose credits include Life, The Shield, Stand-Off and Nash Bridges, has been named executive producer/showrunner for the drama series. Lionsgate TV will co-produce with Starz, and they've greenlighted 13 episodes.

The controversial film, which dealt with the intersecting lives of a myriad of people living in Los Angeles in just 48 hours, centers on the character of Detective Graham Waters. Waters, a police detective, is struggling with his career, his drug addict mother and a criminal brother. The role was played by Don Cheadle (Picket Fences), who was also one of the film's producers. He is expected to reprise the part in the Starz production and may even direct a few episodes. In addition, director/co-writer/producer Paul Haggis and others from the film are also on board for Starz.

... Six welcome returns.

Every fall season I get stoked about all the new shows, with cool new premises ("A guy travels through time trying to make right what once went wrong!"-- Journeyman not Quantum Leap), and all the big changes in store for existing shows. But it's equally exciting to see which beloved actors will be returning to television. Brad Garrett coming back to television in 'Til Death last year? Cool! Patricia Heaton and Kelsey Grammer both coming back to television ... together? That's gotta be awesome, right? Jerry O'Connell on Carpoolers ... well ... ? I like the guy, but I'm not scheduling a 'Welcome Back' shindig for him.

Half the fun of a new television season is the return of great actors and actresses to the small screen. And while I could have easily done 10 or even 20 of these, I've narrowed it down to the six talents who were most welcome back in my house on a weekly basis this past year. I've even been so bold as to rank them. Feel free to agree, disagree and present your own lists in the comments.

I've got plenty to be thankful for in my life, but -- pffft! -- y'all don't care to hear about that! This is TV Squad after all, so let's get down to what I'm thankful for when it comes to all-things television:

Damages getting uber-renewed
As the first season of Damages ticked down toward its finale, I wasn't the only one afraid that F/X was being quiet about the show's renewal status. It wasn't until recently that we were blessed with the news of not only one new season, but two! Many of us fans have already gone into speculating what the major plot will be for the second season, but to now wrap our minds around a third ... wow.

The Shield having all remaining episodes in the can
The WGA strike is obviously going to be a huge downer for TV watchers everywhere, if it hasn't been already. Some shows will take months to reappear, possibly if at all! Thankfully one of my beloved shows, The Shield, apparently won't be affected by the strike, as it has its final season all wrapped up for us like a fat present under the tree (even if it does air in the spring).

I've admitted it already: I watch Moonlight. It may not be the best new series of the year but it's entertaining and has a lead character that makes a lot of female TV fans melt. Before Moonlight, I had no idea who Alex O'Loughlin was. My own curiosity added to all the comments I've read here in the past weeks about the actor, I thought it was time we got to know the new vampire on the block a little bit more.

First I thought this would be a summer filled with possibly watching one or two summer series, and then catching up on the growing stack of books in my "to be read" pile ... but somehow it's morphed into the "DVR + TV shows on DVD Summer of Rock " *fanfare*. It's actually not that dramatic, but I like to stick fanfare in whenever I can. Theme songs are one thing, but fanfare can pepper mundane events with joy. "Here's your latte, sir." *fanfare* See what I mean?

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Battlestar Galactica, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, Las Vegas, Nip/Tuck, Smallville, Supernatural, The 4400 and The Shield. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• At 8, FOX has a new On The Lot, then the season finale of House.
• At 10, ABC has the season finale of Boston Legal.
• At 9, PBS has a new Independent Lens.
• Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch at 9, followed by a new After The Catch.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 9.
• Also at 9: Travel Channel has a new John Ratzenberger's Made In America.
• At 9:30, Bravo has a new Real Housewives of Orange County special.
• CBS has the Kimberly Dozier news special Flashpoint at 10.
• FX has a new episode of The Shield at 10.
• There's a new ECW on Sci-Fi at 10.
• HBO has a First Look at Ocean's 13 at 10.

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, Psych, Smallville, The Shield and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

• At 8, CBS has the Academy of Country Music Awards.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 8.
• FOX has a new American Idol at 8, then a new House.
• The CW has the series finale of Gilmore Girls at 8, then a new Veronica Mars.
• TNT has an NBA playoff game at 8, followed by another.
• At 9, PBS has a new Frontline.
• Discovery has a new Deadliest Catch at 9.
• At 10, NBC has a new Law and Order: SVU.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 10 (after three repeats - it's a mini-marathon).
• Bravo has a new Work Out at 10.
• There's a new ECW on Sci-Fi at 10.
• Also at 10: FX has a new episode of The Shield.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, ABC has a new, one-hour George Lopez, followed by new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and Boston Legal.
• CBS has a new NCIS at 8, then a new episode of The Unit.
• NBC has new episodes of Dateline, Law and Order: CI and Law and Order: SVU.
• FOX has a new American Idol at 8, then a new House.
• The CW has a new Gilmore Girls at 8, then a new Veronica Mars.
• There's a new Nova on PBS at 8, followed by a new Frontline.
• At 9, A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter.
• At 9:30, Food Network has a new Road Tasted.
• At 10, FX has a new episode of The Shield.
• TLC has a new Miami Ink at 10.
• Bravo has a new Work Out at 10.
• Also at 10: Spike has a new ECW.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, CBS has a new NCIS, followed by a new episode of The Unit.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 8, then new episodes of Law and Order: CI and Law and Order: SVU.
• There's a new American Idol on FOX at 8, then a new House.
• The CW has new episodes of Gilmore Girls and Veronica Mars.
• TNT has coverage of the NBA playoffs at 8.
• At 8:30, ABC has a new George Lopez, followed by new episodes of Dancing with the Stars and Boston Legal.
• At 9, Larry King Week continues on CNN with guest Oprah Winfrey.
• A&E has a new Dog The Bounty Hunter at 9.
• At 10, TLC has a new Miami Ink.
• FX has a new ep of The Shield at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new ECW at 10.
• Also at 10: Bravo has a new Work Out.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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:

• Crew members of The Shield ran into some real-life resistance while trying to film in a gritty neighborhood in L.A.
  
• Sara Ramirez of Grey's Anatomy is after a pop music career, with the help of the makers of a Monty Python musical?
  
• The Pussycat Dolls will finally choose their new member tonight. I'm on team "the girl with bangs."
  

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

The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman (Mon., 9:45PM ET, ABC) 10th season premiere
In nine seasons, no Bachelor has married the woman to whom he gave his final rose. None. Zip. Nada. Most of them aren't even still dating the women they chose. So, you gotta wonder how the show manages to go on. Why do women keep signing up for it? In the premiere, some of the bachelorettes care less about Navy doctor Andy Baldwin than sniping at each other. It's all about the chase, so why even bother with the guy? He's probably not going to marry any of 'em, anyway.

The Shield (Tue., 10PM ET, FX) 6th season premiere
In a television landscape littered with strong personalities (think House, Jack Bauer, Rosie), there's still nobody like Vic Mackey, with his shiny bald pate and murky methods. In the premiere, Vic wants vengeance for the murder of Lem -- not knowing the killer is another Strike Team member, Shane -- while rabid Internal Affairs officer Kavanaugh wants to pin it on Vic. Not only that, he finds out from Claudette that the brass wants him to retire.