Yes, we have some new seasons and series awaiting us over the next couple months but it's remarkable that we've settled into a similar groove from the previous season. We know what's good and has held up over at least a season. It's a shame that 30 Rock continues to lag in the ratings despite being so consistently well-written and funny. We're nearing the end of the season for the remarkable program, Mad Men -......

This week ended with the launch of the seventh and final Harry Potter installation. But while the world was consumed with Pottermania, it's important to remember that there were more serious things going on in the world, too - two of them in -Ist cities. Sampaist was shocked when a passenger jet crashed into the center of Sao Paulo, killing at least 200 people. The airplane, an Airbus A320, skidded off the runway at the......

A Word or 4 dozen : Somehow I totally missed posting that the Shield was on last night and again it was good. I think one would be hard-pressed to find more raw and compelling performances on any other show available on the networks or basic cable. Being a former SF resident, I haven't been able to get enough of Conan's broadcast from the Orpheum theater on Market Street- too bad that's still bum-junkie......

The first four American Idol contestants were booted last night. While we weren’t surprised at the girls (Amy Krebs left because of her vanilla on vanilla rendition of Bonnie Raitt’s “I Can’t Make You Love Me” and Nicole Tranquillo tried too hard to be Chaka Khan and Rufus all at once), the guys who left kinda did. We thought for sure than smiley Sanjaya was a goner, but he turned out to be in......

Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of Ron) turns 25 today. She's doing both artsy and big-budget stuff; soon she'll be in both As You Like It and Spiderman III. Coldplay's Chris Martin celebrates his 29th birthday today. Jersey hair rocker turned actor Jon Bon Jovi turns 44. And rock icon Lou Reed is now 64. OG SNL comedienne Laraine Newman turns 54. Recently she's appeared on "According to Jim" starring Jim Belushi, the icky-but-living brother of......