TVSquad

When I first started exploring this project, there were a few shows that I knew were going to be important to hit. This is the first of those. Firefly was Joss Whedon's sci-fi western series. The show mustered disappointing ratings in its short eleven-episode run on FOX.

Since then it's gone on to near mythic cult status. There was such an outcry of support from its loyalists, the Browncoats, over its cancellation that the producers made a feature film sequel. That movie, Serenity, answered a lot of questions about the future fate of the cast. Unfortunately, like the television series, it couldn't find quite enough people to show up and tune in to warrant a sequel. Nevertheless, the few morsels of Firefly we did get are enough to prove that this is one of the most innovative and enjoyable series ever to hit the airwaves.

Hey 4400 fans! Co-creator and executive producer of that series, Scott Peters, is back at it again. This time he's gotten the official go ahead from ABC to bring the remake of the 1980's V mini-series to pilot. This means right from the beginning they're thinking more long-term in developing the overall storyline. With the original, we had a mini-series that proved so incredibly popular that it spawned a second mini-series, an ongoing series, and even a book and comic series. I know all of this because I own all of it.

Yes, even though (or maybe because) I was a very young boy when the V phenomenon first hit, it blew me away. I was haunted by the image of Diana unhinging her jaw and devouring that rodent. And the first peeling of human flees to reveal the green scales underneath was chilling to my pre-adolescent imagination. To this day, I think the concept is brilliantly strong, and the first two mini-series were very well executed. It'll be interesting to see how these creators bring the concept into the new millennium. Clearly the "surprise" reveal that the aliens aren't as benevolent as they purported to be is lost.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

Wow, if you bought all of the complete series sets being released this week you'd have a great start for your TV DVD collection: NewsRadio, The Flintstones, The 4400, Sanford and Son, and several others. The NewsRadio set doesn't have anything that wasn't in the individual sets, but it's a great buy if you don't have all of the seasons. The Mystery Science Theater 3000 set (the one with the collectible Crow and lobby cards) might already be sold out, so I'd check on that. I used to watch Zoom back in the 70s, though I can't imagine buying the DVD set.

I don't think I've ever seen The Doris Day Show, but it looks like something I might have to have.

• The 4400 - Complete Series
• Cathouse - Complete Series
• Dark Shadows - Vol. 6: Episodes 179-209
• The Donna Reed Show - Season 1
• The Doris Day Show - Christmas Memories
• Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman - Complete Series
• The Flintstones - Complete Series
• Girlfriends - Season 5
• Good Times - Complete Series
• The Little Rascals - Complete Collection
• The L Word - Season 5
• Millennium - Complete Series
• Mystery Science Theater 3000 - 20th Anniversary Set
• NewsRadio - Complete Series
• Sanford and Son - Complete Series
• Sister, Sister - Season 1
• War and Remembrance - Season 1
• Zoom - Back to the 70s

The 4400 co-creator and producer Scott Peters is remaking the 1980's V miniseries for ABC. The article expressly states that the original creator, Kenneth Johnson, will not be involved.

I'm somewhat dreading this remake because Peters says he will pretty much revamp the human story to something completely different (although an alien invasion will probably still be involved). The theme of the new version will more be about having blind faith in leadership rather than being an allegory of the Nazi occupation of Germany.

It's entirely possible this new version would work. The current Battlestar Galactica is not very much like its predecessor and represents science fiction at its finest. The original V terrified the crap out of the much younger me. Then the network wussed out with the concept and tried to maximize profits by tacking on a happy-ending sequel miniseries and shortly-lived continuing series.

On the other hand, the revamped Flash Gordon was a pile of suck. Here's hoping V is better.

Producers of CSI: Miami have found a new coroner. Starting this season, The 4400's Megalyn Echikunwoke will fill the role vacated by Khandi Alexander. Alexander parted ways with the series after six years due to her alleged unhappiness with the show *cough* David Caruso *cough.*

There isn't much known about Echikunwoke's character, other than she'll be the new coroner. For instance, her affinity for the phrase "aw sugar" and her feelings on whether or not the victims on the table "left this world too soon" are, at this point, a mystery.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• The 4400 - Season 4
• Acapulco H.E.A.T. - Complete Series
• 'Allo 'Allo - Series 8
• Avatar The Last Airbender - Book 3 Fire, Vol. 3
• Bewitched - Season 6 (color)
• Crossing Jordan - Season 1
• Greg the Bunny - Best of the Film Parodies: Vol. 2
• A Haunting - Hauntings in America
• Hiya Kids! A 50's Saturday Morning Box
• The Jack Benny Show - The Jack Benny Show
• Madeline - Next Stop America
• Man vs. Wild - Collection 1
• Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Movie (widescreen)
• Naruto - Uncut Boxed Set Vol. 7 (special edition)
• Punky Brewster - Season 1, Vol. 1
• Sgt. Preston of the Yukon - Best Of
• Speed Racer: The Next Generation - Vol. 1
• Spider-Man - Mutant Agenda
• That Girl - Season 1, Vol. 1

(S04E13) Well, the title of this episode wasn't kidding. It was indeed a giant leap forward for the episode. I was really looking forward to this finale because a) it was such a great season and b) because there were some excellent predictions last week and I wanted to see whether they came true. SPOILER ALERT: Some of them did, and some of them didn't. But seriously, if you haven't seen the episode yet, go watch it first and then come back. We'll wait. I'll knit or something.

(S04E12) My favorite line of this episode was when Diana told Tom, "You make a terrible Tom Baldwin." I had noticed during this episode that he wasn't even really trying to be Tom Baldwin anymore-- and I thought that was just more evidence of good acting from Joel Gresch. He was so subtle in the first two transition episodes, and now that transformation is complete. He has erased all traces of the real Tom Baldwin. I was surprised that Mia trusted him, actually.

• At 7, NBC has a new Football Night In America, followed by the Giants/Cowboys game.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• Food Network has a new Challenge at 8, followed by a new Iron Chef America.
• At 9, PBS has a new Mystery!
• HBO has the series premiere of Tell Me You Love Me at 9, then the season premiere of Curb Your Enthusiasm.
• Lifetime has a new Side Order of Life at 9, then a new State of Mind.
• There's a new episode of The 4400 on USA at 9, followed by a new Dead Zone.
• History Channel has a new Ice Road Truckers at 9.
• VH-1 has a new Rock of Love with Bret Michaels.
• WE has a new Bridezillas at 9.
• Also at 9: HGTV has a new Design Star.
• At 10, A&E has a new Two Coreys.

Check your local TV listings for more.

• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• NBC has preseason football at 8, the Giants vs. the Ravens.
• Discovery has two new episodes of Blue Planet at 8.
• Lifetime has a new State of Mind at 8, then a new Side Order Of Life.
• TNT has a new, two-hour episode of The Company at 8.
• ESPN2 has the Little League World Series at 8.
• Also at 8: Food Network has a new Challenge.
• At 9, Spike has a new episode of The Kill Point.
• There's a new 4400 on USA at 9, then a new Dead Zone.
• A&E has a new Gene Simmons' Family Jewels at 9, then two new episodes of The Two Coreys.
• HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
• At 9:30, Cartoon Network has a new Naruto.
• At 10, the History Channel has a new Ice Road Truckers.
• Food Network has a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay at 10.
• Comedy Central has a new Mind of Mencia at 10, then a new American Body Shop.
• HBO has a new Big Love at 10, then new episodes of Entourage and Flight of the Conchords.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Bones, Brothers & Sisters, Damages, Desperate Housewives, ER, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, One Tree Hill, Scrubs, Smallville, The 4400, and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: Bones, Ghost Whisperer, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, House, How I Met Your Mother, Jericho Prison Break, Smallville and The 4400. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)

(S04E06) After last week's review, I had some really great and interesting email conversations with some of the commenters here. And decided that it's not the fact that The 4400 is having religion as plot lines that bothers me-- it's Jordan's fundamental hypocrisy that bothers me. Jordan claims to be good and to give people choices, but he doesn't think twice about having his goon squad use their abilities to harm people (he brought Tom to his knees in "Try the Pie"), with promises of more harm to come.

Do you really think Jordan had nothing to do with Hewitt's stroke? And what was the point of it anyway when they know that Shawn heals people? And that looked very impressive when Shawn told Hewitt not to thank him, just to "Change." Uh, yeah, because that is so easy. But on the whole, I loved this episode and I have really enjoyed this season tremendously so far.

• The Andy Griffith Show marathon continues on TV Land all night.
• At 7, NBC has a new, two-hour Dateline.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• Side Order of Life debuts on Lifetime at 8, followed by the debut of State of Mind and a new Army Wives.
• At 9, PBS has a new Mystery!
• USA has a new episode of The 4400 at 9, then a new Dead Zone.
• The ESPY Awards air on ESPN at 9.
• Also at 9: HBO has a new John From Cincinnati, followed by new episodes of Entourage and Flight of the Conchords.
• At 10, VH-1 has a new Gene Simmons Family Jewels.
• Food Network has a new Next Food Network Star at 10.
• Showtime has a new Meadowlands at 10 (repeated at 11).
• At 11:45, Cartoon Network has a new Harvey Birdman: Attorney At Law.

Check your local TV listings for more.

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 917-421-9477 (NY) - your anonymity is guaranteed, if you wish to remain as such.

This week we have: CSI: Miami, Grey's Anatomy, Heroes, Lost, One Tree Hill, Prison Break, Smallville, The 4400, and Ugly Betty. (SPOILERS FOLLOW!)