TVSquad

The Emmy Award nominations will be announced a week from this Thursday, and The Hollywood Reporter got a bunch of TV stars (both Emmy winners and nominees) together at a roundtable* to discuss the awards, and it's pretty lively.

While Ted Danson talks about it taking nine times before he won the Emmy for Cheers in 1990, David Spade explains that he was more bummed about not winning a Golden Globe for his role on Just Shoot Me more than not winning the Emmy, because he was beaten by Gregory Peck, who won for a really short cameo. Bryan Cranston reveals how his guest stint on The X-Files many years ago led to his role on Breaking Bad, and Alec Baldwin explains that it's actually OK that he doesn't get to swear on 30 Rock like his friends who have pay cable shows can.

Neil Patrick Harris makes some comments that reality show-haters will love.

* For the sake of journalistic accuracy, I actually have no idea if the table was round or not. It could have been a long rectangle.

Here come two more lists of the ten actors and actresses that are finalists for Emmy nominations in the supporting comedy categories. As with the other awards, there are some surprises on the list, and some notable omissions. For the ladies, the headline is that last year's winner, Jaime Pressly (My Name Is Earl), didn't make the cut. Surprise finalists include Conchata Ferrell (Two And A Half Men) and Amy Poehler (Saturday Night Live). I don't mind seeing Conchata on the list because she is consistently funny on the show, but I don't know that there is enough to her role for her to actually garner a nomination when you consider the competition.

On the other side of the coin, the defending champ, Jeremy Piven (Entourage), is back. None of the boys over at SNL managed to make the leap from Variety to Comedy that Poehler did.

The characters on Six Feet Under were fascinating to watch, but they often made horrible romantic choices. Even the couples that stood the test of time had their issues. Most of the truly memorable train wrecks didn't last, though. Here's a look back at some of the show's weirdest relationships.

Ruth Fisher and Arthur Martin - Ruth and Arthur's relationship was arguably the most awkward pairing in Six Feet Under history. Apart from the significant age difference, the relationship suffered from a lack of physical intimacy. You can't build a romance on nuzzling and spooning alone; it didn't take long for Ruth to figure that out. Ruth dumped Arthur, and things took a turn for the worse when she suddenly married George Sibley. Arthur showed his jealousy by arguing with George over the origins of the word "formica" and labeling his food. They finally parted ways after the "poo by mail" misunderstanding.

Do not adjust your web browser. You are now entering the Retro Squad, where we are reviewing past episodes of classic TV shows.

(S03E08) Two words: Jeanne Tripplehorn. Keith's paintball revenge was his finest moment on the show as far as I'm concerned. The Fishers and Diazes played against type and became people of action, if only for a short while. David and Keith settled their differences on the battlefield, Ruth made several uncomfortable moves on Arthur, and Lisa sized up her competition. Petrarch, head lice, and polygamy also came into play.

In last season's finale of The Office, sparks flew between Michael Scott and Toby's HR replacement Holly. Amy Ryan, seen for four seasons on The Wire, brought a new dynamic to the show as Holly with her interactions with Steve Carell's Michael. "Amy gave the character of Holly an openness and matured innocence that exposed a new side of Michael," said Paul Lieberstein, who played Toby and was recently promoted to executive producer on the show. "She placed her character right on his level."

All I can say is bring on more Holly and congratulations to Toby! I guess since Lieberstein will still be so involved with the show, there's always a chance of more Toby in the future, but the beautiful Ryan will add a new dynamic to the series. While Amy Ryan's currently only set for five or so episodes, I hope they can expand that if it works. Now that Pam is back off the market and Karen's gone, Holly represents a new amorous target for the boys of the office. And having her be the HR rep at the same time makes it all the more taboo to pursue. Which means Michael will be all over it like Dwight on Second Life.

Another week, another list issue of Entertainment Weekly.

I'm not sure what to make of all of these lists. We do them here too, but it seems to me the more giant lists that are done the more meaningless they become. This EW issue is "The New Classics," the 1000 best TV shows, movies, books, and music of the past 25 years. Since this is a television blog, I won't get into their book, movie, and music picks (but if I can just say as a side note, they pick both Clueless and The Naked Gun before L.A. Confidential?!), but let's talk about their TV choices.

And argue about those choices in the comments, of course.

It just has a ring to it, don't you think? I doubt that we'll see Rainn bulking up Stallone-style to save the world with a knife and his guile, but he did just land a role in Michael Bay's Transformers 2. It doesn't really get more action movie than that. Wilson will play a college professor to Shia LaBeouf's Sam. It will be interesting to see how much, if any, Schrute makes it into the character.

But wait, there's more. Fans of the gone but not forgotten Las Vegas will be happy to learn that Josh Duhamel will be returning for the sequel. And fans of ridiculously hot girls will be happy to know that FHM's Sexiest Woman In The World, Megan Fox, is also returning. A warning, that FHM link is safe for my workplace, but might not be for yours. If you can't wait for Bay to finish all of those CGI sequences to get your Rainn fix, you can also catch him this summer in The Rocker as a failed drummer who gets a second chance at fame. That one also features Teddy Geiger (Love Monkey), and the trailer is after the jump.

What's happening on other blogs via the interweb.

• Rainn Wilson, the early years.
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• OMG, did you miss the New Kids On The Block on The Today Show?! Here they are.
• An ex-Six Feet Under star might be moving to House.
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• Zap2it's TV Gal is happy that we have to wait two weeks for the Lost season finale.
• No, Ryan Seacrest isn't taking over for Larry King.

"This is man is an impostor. Do not do business with him. This is not Dwight Schrute." --Dwight to Jim

NBC has released a sneak peek of The Office's season finale called "Good-bye Toby." After Thursday night's stellar episode, I'm psyched for the finale even though I tend to be underwhelmed by one-hour Office episodes. How about you? Ready for next Thursday?

In the scene, Jim reprograms Dwight's phone to forward to his own. Dwight reacts...well, exactly how you'd expect him to. It's pretty hilarious. I love the Jim-Pam-Dwight dynamic. And I love any time Jim pulls a prank on Dwight. My favorite prank had to be when Jim sent Dwight a fax from "future Dwight" telling him not to drink the coffee.

I put the video after the jump. I also put the two-minute recap of last Thursday's show just in case you missed it. The Office's one-hour season finale is Thursday May 15th at 9 p.m. ET / PT.

(S04E13) Remember that movie The Chase? Okay, you probably don't, but believe me, it exists [link NSFW]. Anyway, Charlie Sheen takes Kristy Swanson hostage, and over the course of the movie some major league Stockholm Syndrome kicks in (like, really major league: they do it while he's leading the cops on a high speed chase). The lesson of the movie is obvious: if you kidnap the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she'll eventually fall in love with you.

I bring this up because I'm becoming scared that I might have lost perspective on The Office. I've sincerely loved every episode that has aired since its return from the break. Now, here's the question: is this because the writers spent the entire strike doing brain push-ups? Or is it because The Office is Charlie Sheen to my Kristy Swanson? My (glowing) review after the jump...

(S04E12) Jay Black couldn't be with us today because he was called away suddenly. Something about not leaving the table until he'd finished all his vegetables but he didn't like asparagus and yet that didn't matter he can sit there all night if he has to or until the asparagus evolves arms and legs and jumps off his plate and leaves on its own. So he figured since my name is the closest to his, maybe we could get away with this last minute pinch hit.

I got an episode that won't necessarily go down in the annals of time as an Office classic, but does bring us back to the core of the show: the office. The episode takes place entirely in one day, entirely in the office, and virtually every cast member gets pulled into one storyline or the other. For me, this is when The Office is at its best, when its presenting us barely controlled chaos. Offices are constantly bustling with activity productive or otherwise. Tonight's episode captured just that, and very well.

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: Holiday wishes granted! Plus,

• Colbert and Stewart are both returning after New Year's, without writers.
  
• Rainn Wilson will host this year's Spirit Awards (and be allowed to write for it).
  
• Nick Lachey's choir was chosen as winner of Clash of the Choirs.
  

The video's embedded below, or you can subscribe to this podcast via our feed. Plus, you can also download the file directly.

In a reversal of their stance on most of the major awards shows this season, Variety tells us the WGA is not only allowing Guild member Rainn Wilson to host the 2008 Spirit Awards, but he has received a waiver to write gags for it as well. The awards ceremony will be held February 23, a day before the Oscars (which did not receive a waiver), on the Santa Monica beach in a tent.

Broadcast live and uncensored on IFC at 5/4pm Central, the Spirit Awards honors the best in independent filmmaking and tends to feature a lot of off-color humor and remarks. Hell, last year's host Sarah Silverman opened the ceremony with a long discussion of her Mommy parts! Hopefully Wilson won't feel the need to discuss his Daddy parts, but if he wants to tell any off-color stories about Jenna Fischer, I'm all ears. Pam Beesly is my Office crush (Shh! don't tell HR) and now that Jenna's as "single" as Pam is, I can fantasize about both of them without feeling guilty! It's a win-win ... win!

I'm talking about the American version of the show. I'll put the answer to this question on the second page, but it's actually pretty easy to figure out. Just remember that The Grass Roots was a band in the 1960s and 70s (that leaves out 98% of the cast right there, they're too young) and that it was all male (that leaves out Pam and Angela, even if they were old enough). I think you've probably figured out who it is by now, but that doesn't make the video after the jump any less amusing.

He's the one on the left in the striped sweater.

Well, the Emmys have come and gone and for the most part, I enjoyed the telecast. The non-threatening hosting style of Ryan Seacrest infected the whole telecast with a feeling of safety that only served to make the routines of comedians like Ray Romano and Jon Stewart look more edgy.

One of my favorite parts of every Emmy telecast is the presentation of the writers nominated for best variety or comedy show. The Daily Show's use of Alberto Gonzalez and Conan's collection of laborers in his pick up truck made me laugh out loud. By the way, did anyone else notice the look of shock on the face of Conan's wife? Priceless.