TVSquad

When one of our favorite TV shows goes off the air, it can be devastating. However, many times, the cancellation is the birth of a spinoff. Sometimes it can be a great thing (Frasier) and sometimes not so much (AfterM*A*S*H). Here are some this month's spinoff ideas that I would love to see.

McCormack & Van Lowe: At Your Service
When Keith Mars becomes sheriff of Neptune and his daughter Veronica joins the FBI, Vinnie Van Lowe emerges as the county's number one private detective. His new caseload is so overwhelming and his moral compass is so out of whack that he's forced to employ attorney Cliff McCormack on a permanent basis. Together with the help of their excitable intern (Alia Shawkat), they bring their distinctive style of crime-solving to the citizens of Neptune.

Last year I introduced the term "fanesia" on this blog. It's a word that means "fan amnesia," those moments of a TV show that you simply forget ever happened, because they're illogical, hurt the show, or just make you feel bad and/or angry. I think it's time for another five:

1. Toby was the leak (The West Wing): I don't know what happened here. Whether the character was written off because actor Richard Schiff wanted to leave or NBC wanted to cut some payroll, the way it happened was a real kick in the stomach to longtime fans of the show. Not only that Toby would leak info about a secret military plane (he wouldn't), but that President Bartlet would just fire him so coldly and bring up their history in such a nasty way. Sure, these two butted heads many times, but it was always out of caring and love for each other. Great to see Bartlet pardon him as his last act as President and invite him to the opening of the library, but still. Aaron Sorkin must have thrown something at his TV when this happened.

In my mind, Toby just quit the White House to go teach at Columbia.

Director Steven Spielberg is interviewed on the new deluxe Alias DVD set that was released last week.

No, Spielberg didn't produce the show or even direct an episode, but it is one of his favorite TV shows and he admires creator/director J.J. Abrams so much that he agreed to be interviewed for the set.

Spielberg liked the show so much that he actually asked Abrams to write the War of the Worlds movie for him, but Abrams couldn't do it because he was working on Lost. Of course, after that, Tom Cruise also contacted Abrams because he was a big fan of Alias (he got the DVDs and watched them all in one weekend, as he has said many times in interviews) and he hired Abrams to write the third Mission: Impossible movie.

On a related note, I had planned on buying the Alias set this month, but after buying the West Wing and Twilight Zone sets and it being Christmas and all, I really don't want to spend the money right now. But if any TV Squad reader (or coworker of mine) would like the buy the set for me, well, I wouldn't say no to that at all.

[via TV Tattle]

Another fun list over at The Onion, and as usual they miss the mark as often as they hit it. It's their selections for the 17 Memorable Thanksgiving Television Moments.

I love the fact that they remembered to include the Bob Newhart episode "Over The River and Through The Woods," where the gang gets drunk on Thanksgiving night and try to order Chinese food over the phone ("More moo goo!"), and the choice of A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving and Bewitched are good choices. But I'll take exception to their choice of the Friends episode "The One Where Ross Got High." It's certainly a good episode, with the whole "Rachel makes a dessert" plot, but Friends was famous for its Turkey Day episodes, and "The One With All The Thanksgivings" is even better. It's the flashback episode where we see Ross and Chandler go to Ross' home for Thanksgiving and we meet fat Monica and then thin Monica a year later, when she accidentally cuts off part of Chandler's toe. That's hysterical.

• Ark II - Complete Series
• Beverly Hills, 90210 - Season 1
• Doctor Who - The Hand of Fear and The Mark of the Rani
• The Electric Company - Best of Vol. 2
• Grosse Pointe - Complete Series
• Grounded For Life - Season 4
• Inside the Actors Studio - Dave Chappelle and Icons
• JAG - Season 2
• M*A*S*H* - Season 11 and Martinis and Medicine set
• Melrose Place - Season 1
• Police Squad! - Complete Series
• The Sopranos - Season 6, Part 1
• Ultraman - Vol. 2
• The West Wing - Season 7 and Complete Series set

Many of you reading our complete listing of fall premiere dates have been posting questions on the whereabouts of some of your favorite shows. For example, poster rach asks 'What happened to the show "Related" on the WB? Is there a premiere?'', while reader Jim asks 'What? No "Invasion"? How does it end? Is this a new trend ... to just terminate an ongoing series?' .

So, as a public service to you, the omnipotent readers of TV Squad, here is the complete list of shows that will NOT be returning to the network schedules this season.

ABC: Invasion (sorry Jim), Sons & Daughters, Less Than Perfect, Hope & Faith, Rodney, Commander-In-Chief (although a two-hour movie may be produced to tie up any loose ends), Freddie, In Justice, Emily's Reasons Why Not, Crumbs, Hot Properties, Jake in Progress (yes, one episode actually aired last season. John Stamos joins the cast of ER this season), Alias, The Evidence and Miracle Workers.

• "Thank you. If you'd like to receive e-mails about upcoming shows, then please give me money so I can buy a computer." - Phoebe, to her Central Perk audience, on Friends.
• "You're amazing! If you ever brushed your teeth, I'd kiss you." - Reese, to his grandmother, on Malcolm in the Middle.
• "What's next?" - President Santos, to Chief of Staff Josh Lyman, on The West Wing.
• "God, I hope so." - Alan, to Denny, toasting to a new season, with Denny hoping for the "same night," on Boston Legal.
• "I saw them when I was his age, as my father did before me." - Richard, trying to talk Christine into letting Richie go to the Rolling Stones concert, on The New Adventures of Old Christine.
• "You never have." - Grace, to Will, who said he didn't like the the "trim" on her daughter's wedding dress, on the finale of Will and Grace.

• This week you can get four different covers. Actually, each issue comes with all four covers, the one on the front and then the other covers are inside. Also inside: secrets of the Lost finale. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled.
• EW lists the Top 5 Theories on what's happening on Lost.
• Chris Daughtry says his exit from Idol doesn't make sense, logically.
• Aaron Sorkin reminisces about The West Wing.
• The mag gives The Loop co-creator Will Gluck 30 seconds to convince FOX to renew his show.
• In the print edition only: a guide to the Wisteria Lane neighborhood; Josh Schwartz explains how he intends to save The O.C.; and why did Commander-In-Chief crash and burn after such a promising start?

• 8pm: The West Wing series finale (NBC, preceded by a one hour retrospective)
  
• 8pm: The Simpsons season finale (FOX)
  
• 8pm: Survivor season finale (CBS - two hours and then a one hour reunion show)
• Malcolm in the Middle series finale (FOX - not sure what time yet)
• 9pm: Law and Order: CI season finale (NBC)

I actually thought that the show should have done this a few seasons ago, during the debate between President Bartlett and Governor Richie. According to next week's TV Guide, The West Wing is thinking about doing a live debate between the characters played by Jimmy Smits and Alda, to air during the November sweeps. I think this is a fantastic idea. A debate scenario just screams to be shown live, with that "live" look instead of the filmed look (whenever a TV show has a scene that is supposed to be a live TV show, it never looks real). It would not only be exciting, it would give the show the gravitas and buzz it's been lacking for the past two years.