mad men season 4 promos!

It's a promo bonanza for Mad Men! I promise to start posting about non-Mad Men topics soon.

For instance, we need to talk about Friday Night Lights. I'm 4 episodes into season 1. WHERE THE HECK HAVE I BEEN THIS SHOW IS AMAZING.

All of these are character-specific and non-spoiler promos using footage from season 3. Each gives us a reminder of where we left each character last season. Who's your favorite?

General "where we left off" promo for season 4:



Don:



Betty:



Roger:



Joanie:



Pete:



Peggy:

5 more weeks!

quick reference for returning summer shows

We'll be getting into what's new on the television schedule this summer soon (so much!), but here's a quick guide for when to expect returning shows to premiere:

Just for fun, *** inidicates what I'll definitely be watching.

June (some happened already - sorry!)

1: Wipeout on ABC (admittedly watch this from time to time. so funny)
1: America's Got Talent on NBC (they lost me when Hoff departed)
3: Royal Pains on USA ***
3: Burn Notice on USA
6: Drop Dead Diva on Lifetime (heard this is good. anyone?)
6: Ice Road Truckers on History
6: The Next Food Network Star on Food Network
7: The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family
7: Last Comic Standing on NBC (probably tune in to see Craig Robinson do his thing)
13: Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami on E! (for real?)
13: True Blood on HBO (summer Netflix project for me)
20: Leverage on TNT ***
22: Hawthorne on TNT (this show is terrible)
24: Futurama on Comedy Central
27: Entourage on HBO (need to catch up!)
27: Hung on HBO
28: Make It or Break It on ABC Family *** (sorry, can't help it)
29: Rescue Me on FX (final season, but I need to catch up)

July

12: The Closer on TNT
13: Warehouse 13 on SyFy
25: My Boys on TBS ***
25: Mad Men on AMC *** (duh)
29: Jersey Shore on MTV

August

3: Shaq vs on ABC
9: Dating in the Dark (good god, I can't believe this is coming back)
16: Weeds on HBO (another Netflix project this summer)

a gleeful sendoff

If you're using a magnifying glass, there's a lot of beef to be had with Glee. Mostly, continuity issues like Emma disappearing for multiple episodes and Quinn's pregnant belly missing for most of the season until she gives birth to a toddler who was one month premature.

However, I'm choosing to ignore all of that and just love Glee for Glee. The season finale was so fun for many reasons, including:

• Journey. I mean, come on. What better way to end the season than with a giant cheeseball tribute to a cheeseball band? Don't Stop started it all. I cried.


• Kurt's sailor hat.


• Finn blurting out "I love you!" to Rachel before their performance. Such a teenage boy.


• The girls' competition costumes. And Artie's competition hair. So dapper.


• In the judges' room, when Sue realizes she cares about those kids.


• Sue likening Will's hair to a briarpatch with racist Disney characters singing about the bayou.


• Emma screaming at Figgins for cutting glee (although I thought Will's subsequent love profession was a little out-of-left-field)


• Sue wanting hand sanitizer after shaking Will's hand so she doesn't "catch poor"


• Everything about Jonathan Groff. Damn, that boy can perform.

What do we think about Ausiello's scoop about John Stamos being cast as Emma's dentist boyfriend? Weird, but I kind of love it.

nerding out for chuck

I just finished re-watching the third season finale of Chuck. I've said it before, and I'll say it again - you should be watching this show.

Chuck has something for everyone:

• Action: crazy kung fu fights, gun play, jumping off and out of buildings, explosions, car chases, and of course amazing hot girl fights
• Music: a truly unique rock cover band called Jeffster
• Comedy: from the nerds at Buy More to Colonel Casey to Chuck himself, I laugh out loud every week
  
• Love: even if you're not a Chuck/Sarah shipper, Chuck's sister Ellie and her husband Awesome are enough to make you swoon (by the way, I'm so glad they gave Awesome and Ellie more to do this season).
  

Most importantly, I'm so so impressed with how this show manages to keep things fresh every season with a new surprise and twist at almost every corner. Even this year when I thought things would end neatly given an uncertain future of the show (they were somewhat unexpectedly given an episode extension), we're left with a really intriguing and mysterious set up for next season. It's always unexpected, always entertaining, and always fun. Something you really can't say about many shows these days.

Thankfully, NBC ordered 13 episodes for fourth season of Chuck next year with a good chance for an additional nine episode order (fingers crossed). So, hit Netflix or Hulu this summer and watch the first three seasons. It would be such a fun summer DVD show. I promise you won't regret it.

rebirth

My absence is inexcusable. Millions of readers have wept daily without my television ramblings.

Okay, slight overstatement. But I do apologize to those who stop by from time to time only to find a grossly neglected blog during arguably the most exciting part of the television season - May sweeps, season/series finales, network upfronts, and the start of summer series.

I'll be starting up again this week with some thoughts on the end of a few important shows (LOST) and seasons as well as a look at what's new for the summer and what to expect from the networks in the fall.

If Britney can come back from this, the blog can recover.