TVSquad

• At 7:45, Showtime2 has David Duchovny in The TV Set.
• At 8, CBS has a new Million Dollar Password.
• Disney has a new Hannah Montana at 8, then a new Wizards of Waverly Place.
• At 9, NBC has a new Dateline.
• PBS has a new Masterpiece Theatre at 9.
• There's a new Law and Order: CI on USA at 9, followed by a new In Plain Sight.
• TLC has a new Singing Office at 9.
• HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
• Food Network has a new Iron Chef America at 9, then a new Next Food Network Star.
• HBO has The Simpsons Movie at 9.
• Also at 9: Nickelodeon has a new Nick News Special.
• At 10, Lifetime has a new Army Wives.
• Spike has a new episode of Factory at 10.
• At 11:30, Showtime has a new I Can't Believe I'm Still Single.

Check your local TV listings for more.

With our ever expanding channel lineups it is getting harder and harder for a new show, especially one tucked away on cable with no big name stars attached, to get noticed. Seeing a network release a show online before the premiere isn't new, but seeing one release a pilot on P2P networks with no DRM is a bit more original. And that is just what the folks over at Spike have done with their new show, Factory.

The network has made the show available on its website, at downloadable video stores like iTunes, and in working with the Jun group, on P2P networks. Although my first reaction at the mention of Limewire was surprise that people are still using Limewire, I do agree with their thinking behind the move. Todd Ames, marketing VP at Spike, said they went with the P2P as an acknowledgment of "what people are really doing, and the way consumers are really looking for content." He also notes that there are no plans to make any additional episodes available that way, but it's a step in the right direction that they are paying attention to the viewers.

Spike TV has ordered six episodes of Factory, a largely improvised comedy revolving around four small-town factory workers who'd rather do anything than work at their boring jobs, according to a Hollywood Reporter story. It will be the Guy Network's first original comedy series.

Set to premiere on June 29 at 10 p.m., Factory is directed, produced by, and stars Mitch Rouse (pictured), co-creator of Strangers With Candy, the short-lived TV series that ran from 1999-2000, as well as the 2005 prequel feature film by the same name.

Rouse has an interesting list of credits. In addition to numerous feature films, he played Dr. Ryan Gibson on According to Jim (come on, there must be someone out there who watches this show), Fireman #1 on Reno 911, and was a regular on Exit 57, a mid-1990s comedy-sketch show.

This was a very cute ad. You don't normally have a lot of feeling for an automated production robot, so give credit to the folks that made this ad. In about 20 seconds they were able to make me root for the cute little guy. The quick little cuts of the various jobs the robot had after being decommissioned from the factory were great.

The condo sales sign and speaker at the fast food restaurant were especially good. He just looked so sad when his little robotic arm drooped. Nice payoff at the end with the chorus coming in, "All by myself....," and the little guy waking up at the factory. Well done.