TVSquad

What do you do when you're losing a race, coming in last in a field of four, and have to justify your dismal performance? You change the scoring. What am I talking about? When asked about why his network is doing so poorly in the ratings, president and chief executive officer of NBC Universal, Jeff Zucker told Television Week, "It's not just about the ratings anymore."

What? (Imagine that as said by the Aflac duck). Do you think he really meant it, or is Jeff just hoping that the advertisers won't mind that his primetime lineup is getting its collective butt kicked by CBS, ABC and Fox most every night on the week?

Just to be fair, Zucker explains that the ratings don't matter because the network is fulfilling the expectations of the advertisers. "We're in an era where - we've made a commitment to our advertisers to a schedule. Advertisers have an expectation. It's not just about the ratings anymore. It's about our relationship with our advertisers and what their expectations are."

Sometimes reruns from a cable series can do rather well on network television as a bigger audience pool checks them out. That wasn't the case with Monk and Psych.

The two USA network hits (often in the top 10 in the Nielsen cable ratings) didn't fare too well when NBC ran them on Sunday nights the past couple of months, so the Peacock Network is pulling the shows immediately. Fans of The Office will be happy to hear that NBC will air a two hour marathon of Office repeats in the 9 to 11 time slot. That is, until they decide to put another reality show at that time.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then a new Cold Case and two episodes of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by new episodes of Extreme Makeover, Desperate Housewives, and Brothers & Sisters.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by a new King of the Hill, the season finale of Family Guy, and a new American Dad.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8, then new episodes of Aliens in America and The Game.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece.
• Also at 8: TCM has the 1965 special Frank Sinatra: A Man and His Music.
• At 9, Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors, then the season premiere of This American Life.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies, then a new Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

This sounds like good casting to me. Cybill Shepherd is joining Psych for a mini-arc as Shawn's mom. The actress, best known on TV from her hit series Moonlighting (remember, her and Bruce Willis?), has recently been on Showtime's The L Word. Cybill's not a great dramatic actress, but she is pretty funny and should fit in perfectly with the goofy, good-natured fun on Psych.

When Psych comes back to USA Network on July 18 with new shows, her episodes (at least two) will be broadcast. She's playing Madeleine, Henry's ex-wife and Shawn's mama. So far in the series, Maddie (like Maddie Hayes in Moonlighting perhaps?), has not been shown in the scenes depicting Shawn -- and Gus's -- childhood. Corbin Bernsen, who plays Henry, has worn a hairpiece for the retro scenes and goes bald for the present day scenes. We'll see whether Cybill's in both scenes or not...

According to the show, when Madeleine appears in Santa Barbara, she's coming from Europe and wants to visit her sonny boy. The visit, so we're told, dredges up some old memories. And since this is a crime/caper/mystery show, perhaps Maddie's bound to get involved in one of Shawn's cases.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, followed by a new Big Brother and the new movie Sweet Nothing In My Ear.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, ABC has the finale of Oprah's Big Give, then new episodes of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters.
• The CW has a new Everybody Hates Chris at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, followed by a new Masterpiece.
• VH-1 has a new Celebrity Fit Club at 8, then a new Rock of Love with Bret Michaels reunion show.
• Also at 8: TCM has The Naked City, followed by Topkapi.
• At 9, The CW has a new episodes of The Game.
• There's a new Iron Chef America on Food Network at 9.
• HBO has the series finale of John Adams at 9.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors, then a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• At 10, Comedy Central has standup special John Oliver: Terrifying Times.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Big Brother and Cold Case, then an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7, followed by new episodes of Oprah's Big Give, Desperate Housewives, and Eli Stone.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, FOX has a new Simpsons, followed by a new King of the Hill.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, then a new Masterpiece.
• Comedy Central has the live Night of Too Many Stars charity event at 8.
• Also at 8: ESPN has the Red Sox/Yankees game.
• At 8:30, Nickelodeon has a new Dance on Sunset.
• At 9, The CW has a new episode of The Game.
• HBO has a new John Adams at 9.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, then a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• National Geographic has the special Human Footprint at 9.
• At 10, FX has a new Dirt.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 10.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies.

Check your local TV listings for more.

The other day was actor James Roday's birthday; on April 4, he turned 32. For the Texas born star of Psych, life is quite nice right now. Psych is coming back for a third season on USA this summer, and starting the other night, episodes from season two will be showcased on NBC. Oh, and he's dating Maggie Lawson, a.k.a. O'Hara, his co-star on the show.

There's a fine line between charming and obnoxious, amusing and annoying, cute and cloying, funny and trying too hard. James Roday veers close to the line. He's a daredevil of a comic actor, daring to be almost too much to take. But like other actors of his ilk, he succeeds in flying close to the sun, but never burning his wings. Like Jim Carrey or Robin Williams, James Roday is willing to push the comic envelope. So far, he's proved to me that watching him is always interesting, arresting and fun. While he may never reach the box office glory of Carrey or cop an Oscar like Williams, he's definitely going to be a TV star for today, tomorrow and down the road.

• At 7, CBS has a new 60 Minutes, then new episodes of Big Brother and Cold Case and an episode of Dexter.
• ABC has a new America's Funniest Home Videos at 7.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 7, then episodes of Monk and Psych.
• At 8, The CW has a new Everybody Hates Chris.
• PBS has a new Nature at 8, then a new Masterpiece.
• Nickelodeon has new episodes of Zoey 101 and Dance Sunset.
• Disney has two new episodes of The Wizards of Waverly Place starting at 8.
• Also at 8: VH-1 has a new Celebrity Fit Club, followed by a new Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.
• At 8:30, FOX has a new King of the Hill.
• At 9, ABC has a new Oprah's Big Give, followed by a new Here Come The Newlyweds.
• The CW has a new episode of The Game at 9.
• Food Network has a new Iron Chef America at 9, then a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• HBO has a new John Adams at 9.
• Showtime has a new episode of The Tudors at 9, then a new Tracey Ullman's State of the Union.
• At 10, FX has a new Dirt.
• At 12:15am, Cartoon Network has a new Squidbillies, then a new Assy McGee.

Check your local TV listings for more.

One thing that gets me about the USA Network's "seasons" is that they barely begin, and then they are over. I am not even sure we got eight episodes of Psych, and now it is gone again, just as I was getting comfortable with my weekly dose of hokey. Hokey, says I? Then why do I miss it?

1. Corbin Bernsen -- You know you loved him in L.A. Law, heck, you even loved him in Major League II. But Psych uses Bernsen's talents to the fullest, in creating one of TV's most obnoxious dads with a true tender side (from bubble baths to believing in his son, even though it is usually somewhat veiled). So, so glad they use him more each season.

2. The mysteries -- Yes, a grand part of the hoke, and sometimes painfully predictable. But I love a mystery, even of the lamest kind, and for me, a show that has some secrets not revealed until the end carries some clout.

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 (775) 640-8479 - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Law & Order: SVU, Lost, Moonlight, Psych, Pushing Daisies, Smallville and The Office. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

Is it really a big surprise that television advertising isn't as effective as it used to be? As TV watchers -- okay, we're uber-watchers -- we know that with DVRs and TiVos we're zooming through ads, or we're channel surfing in between segments of our favorite shows, or renting/buying content in formats that allow us to avoid commercials altogether. Now, according to the Association of National Advertisers and Forrester Research's TV & Technology Survey, we learn that six out of 10 marketers believe that TV advertising has become less effective in the past two years. And it's getting worse.

Here are the weekly cable ratings, by number of viewers.

Wait a second...what is this "basketball" that has suddenly invaded the top spots in the weekly Nielsen cable ratings? It knocked Monday Night RAW out of the top spots, and those wrestlers can't be too happy about that. But they still got the 5th and 7th slots, with USA's Psych in between. Both Psych and Monk have been doing well in the ratings this season.

And SpongeBob? Well, there's really no stopping him.

1. NBA All-Star Game (TNT)

• At 8, NBC has a new 1 vs. 100, then the two-hour season finale of Las Vegas.
• PBS has a new NOW at 8, followed by new episodes of Washington Week and Bill Moyers Journal.
• The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
• At 9, USA has a new Monk, then a new Psych.
• VH-1 has a new Best Week Ever at 9.
• At 9:30, HBO has a new In Treatment.
• At 10, Food Network has a new Paula's Party.
• There's a new Stargate Atlantis on Sci-Fi at 10.
• At 10:30, Bravo has a new Top This Party.
• At 11, HBO has a new Real Time with Bill Maher.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, NBC has a new 1 vs. 100 then new episodes of Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas.
• The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
• PBS has a new NOW at 8, followed by new episodes of Washington Week and Bill Moyers Journal.
• Sci-Fi has a new Flash Gordon at 8.
• At 9, Lifetime has a new How To Look Good Naked.
• At 10, ABC has a new 20/20.
• Lifetime has two new episodes of Top This Party at 10.
• USA has a new Psych at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new Stargate Atlantis at 10.
• There's a new Paula's Party at 10 on Food Network.
• E! has a new episode of The Soup at 10.
• Also at 10: Comedy Central has two new episodes of Comedy Central Presents.
• At 11, HBO has a new Real Time with Bill Maher.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, NBC has a new 1 vs. 100, followed by new episodes of Friday Night Lights and Las Vegas.
• PBS has a new NOW at 8, then new episodes of Washington Week and Bill Moyers Journal.
• The CW has a new Smackdown! at 8.
• There's a new Flash Gordon on Sci-Fi at 8.
• G4 has a new X-Play at 8.
• At 9, USA has a new Monk, followed by a new Psych.
• Lifetime has a new How To Look Good Naked at 9.
• Hallmark has the new movie Daniel's Daughter at 9.
• At 9:30, HBO has a new In Treatment.
• At 10, ABC has a new 20/20.
• E! has a new episode of The Soup at 10.
• Lifetime has two new episodes of Top This Party at 10.
• Sci-Fi has a new Stargate Atlantis at 10.
• Also at 10: Comedy Central has two new episodes of Comedy Central Presents, with Eugene Mirman and Jordan Rubin.
• At 11, HBO has a new Real Time with Bill Maher.
• At 12:05am, HBO Family has the reunion movie The Odd Couple: Together Again.

Check your local TV listings for more.