TVSquad

I miss this show... sort of. Was it the best thing on TV? Far from it. But it was enjoyable, had a really good cast, and provided some decent "that's how life really is" laughs. As I said time and again when I reviewed it, What About Brian had a nice blend of the quirkiness seen on Ed coupled with the "everyone wants to get laid" mentality of Grey's Anatomy. In theory, that's a stupendous combination.

However, over the course of two seasons (I say that loosely because season one only had 5 installments and season two came back with a cut back order of 19), the show never really found its voice and as a result never really found enough viewers. I'm not so sure that saying "fans can rejoice now that the series is on DVD" is the right way to go. I was one of them, but I don't feel the need to re-watch it all again. A few episodes stuck in my mind and those were worth seeing again, but overall only the diehards (did What About Brian have any?) are going to want this set. Fortunately, it offers some great bonuses that will make it worth purchasing for the folks in that minority.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Complete Series
• The Bronx is Burning - Complete Series
• The Cosby Show - Best Of
• Count Dracula - Complete BBC Miniseries
• Davey and Goliath - Lost Episodes
• Dog The Bounty Hunter - The Arrest
• Drawn Together - Season 2 Uncensored
• Grounded For Life - Season 5
• Home Run Derby - Vol. 3
• Inside The Actor's Studio - Leading Men
• The King of Queens - Season 9
• Midsomer Murders - Set 9
• My Name Is Earl - Season 2
• Numb3rs - Season 3
• Robert Klein: The HBO Specials 1975-2007
• The Streets of San Francisco - Season 1, Vol. 2
• Thunderbirds - 40th Anniversary Megaset
• The Unit - Season 2
• The Untouchables - Season 1, Vol. 2
• Voltron - Collection 4
• What About Brian - Complete Series

(S02E19) That wasn't much of a finale, was it? You can definitely tell that there were a couple more episodes that were meant to be and this one just got tweaked a little. I'm not sure how much else could have changed had we gotten a full 22 installments, but you never know.

As I expected, Dave and Deena's impromptu wedding become the focal point of the episode, while everyone else just ran around like chickens with their heads cut off. That's one of the things you still gotta love about this show. No matter what else is going on, it always boils down to who's sleeping with who.

What About Brian (Mon., 10PM ET, ABC) 2nd season finale
Or should I say, series finale? The future's not looking bright for this much-improved but little-watched show. It came as a surprise last year when ABC renewed it despite lackluster ratings and dull storylines. This season, it made good creative adjustments, like getting rid of the tiresome triangle and firming up the friendships. Unfortunately, the second chance hasn't won over more viewers, so it's likely buh-bye Brian. In the finale, Dave and Deena plan to renew their vows, Brian and Adam run into babysitting troubles and Nic has her hands full at the cupcake store.

Dirt (Tue., 10PM ET, FX) 1st season finale
Dude, Monica and Rachel make out! Well, that seems to be how FX is selling the season finale of new drama. Jennifer Aniston guest stars as a rival editor who's gunning for Lucy's job. She's not the only one: little Willa craves top-dog status, too. And Lucy's in for a big surprise when she finally learns her stalker's identity. If Dirt returns for a second season, the show needs some serious retooling. Courteney Cox should get a better love interest and the magazine needs a real rival. The battle to scoop the competition is boring when Dirt wins every week.

(S02E18) What about Brian? Hell... I forgot about Brian. Didn't even realize there was a new episode last night until about an hour ago when I decided to clean out my TiVo list. I really do like this show, but apparently I'm not the only one who doesn't have it at the top of their list. Next week is the season finale, meaning the show order got cut by three episodes. First it got the 13 half order, then the full 22, and now it's been slashed to 19. What is it about the 10:00 PM time-slot on Mondays? Can anything stand up to CSI: Miami? It isn't being called the series finale next week, but with this news, it doesn't look likely that we'll see a third season.

(S02E17) Something about this show... it's reaching right now. It had its footing, lost it, found it, and now it's back in some sort of weird TV limbo. It just feels like there's nothing of importance going on. Which is weird because I still enjoy the show a lot. Something was different here though. We've always known that this was a show about young people with relatively large amounts of money. That's kind of standard for ABC right now from Grey's Anatomy, to Brothers and Sisters, to the brand-new October Road. However, this was the first episode of What About Brian that really screamed, "Look at us, we're rich!" I'm not sure how I feel about that.

• At 8, The New Adventures of Old Christine returns to CBS with two new episodes.
• NBC has a new, two hour Deal Or No Deal at 8, then a new episode of The Black Donnellys.
• There's a new Wildfire on ABC Family at 8.
• Emeril cooks pasta on a new Emeril Live, on Food Network at 8.
• At 9, FOX has a new 24.
• ABC has a new Supernanny at 9, followed by a new What About Brian.
• Bill Maher is the guest on Larry King Live, at 9 on CNN.
• The new movie Cleaverville airs on Lifetime at 9.
• Another new movie at 9: The Kings of South Beach, on A&E.
• GSN has a new High Stakes Poker at 9.
• Also at 9: USA has a new WWE Monday Night RAW.
• At 9:30, CBS has a new Rules of Engagement.
• At 10, FX has the premiere of the new Eddie Izzard/Minnie Driver show The Riches (repeated at 11).
• Discovery has a new Stunt Junkies at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S02E16) I have to admit, I keep flip-flopping on this topic. I'm for Marjorie. I'm against her. Back and forth. I think what I'm starting to realize is that I really didn't like her character at all, but rather what she brought to the table: something that tied the whole series together. Something that gave the show meaning.

After her departure, there were what, two really great episodes? And now this. I'm not saying I didn't like this episode, but it was a bit of a step down. There are just far too many little stories going on (most are great), but what's tying them all together? There's nothing that feels like it might turn into a big plot for the rest of the season. This show needs that right now.

(S02E15) People should really start watching this show, especially if you've never seen an episode before. In terms of the show and its characters, everything is re-starting and beginning again. So it's a prime time to get into it because at this juncture, everything that happened before is starting to reach the point of irrelevancy.

That being said, there's a lot going on now to make up for the fact that most of the original storylines and dilemmas are dying off. New characters are being introduced, new romances are popping up, and the same mentality that got me hooked on the show finally seems to be resurfacing: everyone just wants to get laid.

• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and What About Brian.
• CBS has a new How I Met Your Mother, then new episodes of The Class, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• FOX has a new Prison Break, then a new 24.
• NBC has a new Deal Or No Deal at 8, then new episodes of Heroes and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on The CW at 8, followed by new eps of All Of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game.
• Lifetime has two new eps of Gay, Straight, or Taken? starting at 8, then (yet another) Nora Roberts movie, Carolina Moon.
• ABC Family has a new Wildfire at 8.
• For some reason, Diana Ross is on a new Inside The Actor's Studio. It's on Bravo at 8.
• At 9, USA has a new Monday Night RAW.
• Food Network has a new Unwrapped at 9.
• At 10, Discovery has a new Stunt Junkies.
• At 10:15, TCM has Sidney Poitier and Anne Bancroft in The Slender Thread, followed by Paul Douglas and Judy Holliday in The Solid Gold Cadillac.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S02E14) Well it took a little more than half the season for the new staff of producers and writers to turn around What About Brian, but it's finally reached that point. This is a whole new show now. The Marjorie story is done, and while I'm not discounting another potential return for Sarah Lancaster, I'm not sure what the point would be.

You have to look at this way. Would the series have really worked if Marjorie was just hanging around, constantly getting in the way of everyone's relationships? Don't forget -- I relentlessly lobbied for her return too. However, the more I think about, it would have gotten stale fast. Using Marjorie to help introduce everyone in the first season and help create the atmosphere was great. But if you look at the big picture, that was her only role. The characters, Adam and Brian especially, need to develop beyond that initial boundary.

• At 8, ABC has a new Wife Swap, followed by new episodes of Supernanny and What About Brian.
• FOX has a new, two hour 24.
• CBS has new episodes of How I Met Your Mother, The Class, Two and a Half Men, Rules of Engagement, and CSI: Miami.
• NBC has a new Deal or No Deal at 8, then new episodes of Heroes and Studio 60.
• There's a new Everybody Hates Chris on the CW at 8, then new eps of All Of Us, Girlfriends, and The Game.
• PBS has a new Antiques Roadshow at 8, followed by a new American Experience.
• Four good Friends episodes on TBS starting at 8, with Tom Selleck and that creepy guy Eddie who moved in with Chandler for a short time.
• Lifetime has two new eps of Gay, Straight, or Taken at 8, then the new movie Nora Roberts' Blue Smoke. What's with all the Nora Roberts movies on Lifetime lately?
• ABC Family has a new Wildfire at 8.
• Emeril is cooking for couples on a new Emeril Live at 8 on Food Network.
• USA has the opening night of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. It's on at 8 too.
• At 9, Nickelodeon has a Growing Pains marathon.
• TCM has Barefoot in the Park at 9.
• At 10, Discovery has two new eps of Stunt Junkies.
• Also at 10: HBO has a new REAL Sports with Bryant Gumbel.

Check your local listings for more.

(S02E13) This show is good again. It's been building and building with great episodes the past two weeks, and if it's possible after last week's stellar installment, this one was even better.

Way back last spring when I first reviewed the pilot episode, I had this to say about What About Brian:

"This show has got it. Whatever it is. It's got the quirkiness of Ed along with the "at the end of the day it seems like everyone just wants to get laid" mentality of Grey's. Plus it's funny. That sounds like something that should work... right?"

Well, the show lost "it" for a while and it wasn't working. Now, If you ask me, What About Brian is poised to be the hit that I always hoped it would become. Now if only ABC has the sense to move it out of the Mondays at 10:00 PM time-slot.

(S02E12) You'll have to forgive the lateness of this review folks. I've been on a business trip for the past week and the hours I worked were crazy. I missed pretty much every TV show I like. That being said, I finally got to see this episode (thank goodness for ABC's online video player) and all I have to say is wow. This is precisely the way this story needed to be told and it's exactly the type of episode that What About Brian needed for a recharge. Despite the recent string of decent episodes, this show is now officially back on track and I'm excited to see how it develops during the rest of the season.

So last night was the first really big Monday night of the new year, with the return of Heroes and Studio 60. And how did those shows fare?

Typical numbers for Studio 60 at 10pm, with around 7.4 million viewers. It was crushed by CSI: Miami, which got 18.7 million viewers. But the big news of the night (well big-ish, I guess) is that Two and a Half Men beat Heroes fairly easily. The Charlie Sheen show got 16.1 viewers, with Heroes getting 14.8 (24 was close, with 14.4). And yes, for you 18 to 49 demographic fans, Heroes won in that race.

That number for CSI: Miami is what I keep thinking about though. My God, almost 19 million for that show? I'm not just saying this because I'm a fan of Studio 60, I'd still say it if it was on Tuesdays at 8 or Saturdays at 9. It just depresses me that this show (and all the CSIs, actually) do that well in the ratings. It must make the network execs scream "hey, we should do more of those shows!"