TVSquad

The world of primetime TV are primarily set in the real world. The real world based on the fiction they create. So, Law and Order -- in all its incarnations -- is set in New York City, but it's not the real five boroughs. The newspapers they read are not The New York Times, the Post or the Daily News. For contemporary TV fiction, reality is on the margins of the storytelling because you can't really set those characters in a real world. However, when the two worlds intersect, the results can be magic. Here's 8 big-time, primetime examples:

1) Cowboy Up Time
Remember the episode of Lost when Ben wanted to convince Jack that he was in communication with the world outside the island? To prove that he was telling the truth, he showed Jack a video of the Boston Red Sox winning the world series in 2004. You can't get more real than that, right? And yet it was used in one of the most out of this world shows on the air. In fact, using Lost's own terminology, the Red Sox video is a constant truth in a universe that's a complete fiction.

It must be great to be rich and well-known. You can go completely out of your area of expertise and actually have professionals looking for your opinion.

That's what I thought of when I read this story about Curb Your Enthusiasm/Seinfeld creator Larry David. He's consulting with New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum and coach Eric Mangini about their draft choices. Turns out David is a big, big football fan, and called the Jets up last year to give them some advice. They didn't listen to him last year, but this year they're actually talking to him.

This could be a trend. I want to hear Rosie O'Donnell's advice on who the Red Sox should trade before the All-Star Game break, and I wonder if Andy Dick knows how well David Beckham is going to do in Los Angeles?

[via TV Tattle]

Jeez, you win a few games unexpectedly and everyone loves you. At least that's what I'm noticing about the New York Jets, who have exceeded all expectations by compiling an 8-6 record so far this season. They've become such a surprise, that everyone's favorite annoying red Muppet is even a fan of theirs.

At least that's what I want to think after reading this New York Times article detailing the visit that punter Ben Graham, wide receiver Laveranues Coles, quarterback Chad Pennington and head coach Eric Mangini made to Sesame Street last week, a few days after the team lost to the Buffalo Bills. The four Jets were on the show to teach Elmo some football skills, and each man danced with their kids (well three of them, anyway... the article didn't say if Coles had kids) on the popular "Elmo's World" segment.