Her show wins the prize for the season’s timeliest premise: Margulies plays Alicia Florrick, who stands by her husband (Chris Noth) as he resigns as Illinois State’s Attorney amidst a sex and corruption scandal.

Can anyone say Silda Spitzer? Elizabeth Edwards? Jenny Sanford?

The series follows the typical legal-case-of-the-week format, but what makes the show a standout is Alicia’s emotional baggage.

Will she end up divorcing her cheating hubby? Can she make it as a cutthroat lawyer after 15 years away from the courtroom?

For my full review of The Good Wife, click here – and check out the sneak preview below before watching the show tonight!

Download:

(Photo and video courtesy of CBS)

But those shows didn’t sweep the ceremony: Mad Men didn’t pick up a single acting award, and in one of the night’s biggest surprises, Toni Collette (United States of Tara) beat out favorite Tina Fey for Best Actress in a Comedy.

Another shocker was Kristin Chenoweth’s supporting actress win for her role in the now-canceled Pushing Daisies. She also had one of the best acceptance speeches, using the stage for the world’s cutest job pitch: “I’m not employed now, so I’d like to be on Mad Men. I also like The Office and 24.”

Chenoweth’s unexpected victory was delightful. Not so much? Jon Cryer’s win for Two and a Half Men. (Seriously? While still wildly popular, that series – and Cryer’s performance – have gotten as stale as week-old bread.)

However, voters did correct a major wrong by finally giving a supporting actor Emmy to Lost’s Michael Emerson, whose third nomination proved to be the charm.

The rest of the big winners were pretty much repeats of last year: Alec Baldwin (30 Rock), Bedford’s Glenn Close (Damages) and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) snagged their second consecutive Emmys.

And The Amazing Race and Jeff Probst won again in the reality categories, too: Incredibly, it’s Race’s SEVENTH win in a row!

So did your favorites win last night? Were you outraged by any one particular win?

Anyone else think that Cherry Jones is awesome, but her Emmy-winning role on 24 last season was pretty one-note?

How did first-time host Neil Patrick Harris do?

(Photos courtesy of CBS)

In the words of host Neil Patrick Harris’ alter ego – How I Met Your Mother’s Barney Stinson – it should be awesome.

OK, awesome might be taking it too far. To be honest, the Emmys have been a bit of a snooze in recent years. But it’s still pretty fun to watch all the pretty people on the red carpet – and yell at the screen when your favorite show gets robbed of a trophy, isn’t it?

So who are YOU rooting for? Do you think 30 Rock and Mad Men - with an amazing 22 and 16 nominations each – will sweep everything?

Below is the list of the nominees in the top categories, with my winning predictions in bold. Now, these are predictions only – not those I actually WANT to see win.

If that were the case, Remote Access would be checking off Lost and Kristin Chenoweth – and neither have a snowball’s chance in Hades. (I’d be thrilled to be proven wrong, however.)

That said, click through for your Emmy scorecard of the main events…and see if you agree with my foggy crystal ball.

DRAMA SERIES:
“Big Love,” HBO
“Breaking Bad,” AMC
“Damages,” FX
“Dexter,” Showtime
“House,” Fox
“Lost,” ABC
“Mad Men,” AMC

COMEDY SERIES:

“Entourage,” HBO
“Family Guy,” Fox
“How I Met Your Mother,” CBS
“Flight of the Conchords,” HBO
“The Office,” NBC
“30 Rock,” NBC
“Weeds,” Showtime

ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Simon Baker, “The Mentalist”
Gabriel Byrne, “In Treatment”
Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad”
Michael C. Hall, “Dexter”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Hugh Laurie, “House”

ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Glenn Close, “Damages”
Sally Field, “Brothers and Sisters”
Mariska Hargitay, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit”
Holly Hunter, “Saving Grace”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Kyra Sedgwick, “The Closer”

ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Christina Applegate, “Samantha Who?”
Toni Collette, “United States of Tara”
Tina Fey, “30 Rock”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “New Adventures of Old Christine”
Mary-Louise Parker, “Weeds”
Sarah Silverman, “The Sarah Silverman Program”

ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock”
Steve Carell, “The Office”
Jemaine Clement, “Flight of the Conchords”
Jim Parsons, “The Big Bang Theory”
Tony Shalhoub, “Monk”
Charlie Sheen, “Two and a Half Men”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY SERIES:
Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men”
Kevin Dillon, “Entourage”
Neil Patrick Harris, “How I Met Your Mother”
Jack McBrayer, “30 Rock”
Tracy Morgan, “30 Rock”
Rainn Wilson, “The Office”

SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA SERIES:
Christian Clemenson, “Boston Legal”
Michael Emerson, “Lost”
William Hurt, “Damages”
Aaron Paul, “Breaking Bad”
William Shatner, “Boston Legal”
John Slattery, “Mad Men”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA SERIES:
Rose Byrne, “Damages”
Hope Davis, “In Treatment”
Cherry Jones, “24”
Sandra Oh, “Grey’s Anatomy”
Dianne Wiest, “In Treatment”
Chandra Wilson, “Grey’s Anatomy”

SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY SERIES:
Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies”
Amy Poehler, “Saturday Night Live”
Jane Krakowski, “30 Rock”
Elizabeth Perkins, “Weeds”
Kristin Wiig, “Saturday Night Live”
Vanessa Williams, “Ugly Betty”

REALITY HOST:
Tom Bergeron, “Dancing With The Stars”
Phil Keoghan, “The Amazing Race”
Heidi Klum, “Project Runway”
Padma Lakshmi and Tom Colicchio, “Top Chef”
Jeff Probst, “Survivor”
Ryan Seacrest, “American Idol”

REALITY-COMPETITION PROGRAM:
“The Amazing Race,” CBS
“American Idol,” FOX
“Dancing With The Stars,” ABC
“Project Runway,” Bravo
“Top Chef,” Bravo

REALITY PROGRAM:
“Antiques Roadshow,” PBS
“Dirty Jobs,” Discovery Channel
“Dog Whisperer,” National Geographic
“Intervention,” A&E
“Kathy Griffin: My Life On The D-List,” Bravo
“Mythbusters,” Discovery

I’ve slowly been making my way through my Office Season 5 DVD set, having watched all the deleted scenes, the blooper reel and two of the commentaries so far. But it was the “100 episodes, 100 moments” montage, eight and a half minutes of highlights from the show’s every episode, that reminded my why I still care.

Yeah, the first 28 outshined the final 72, but there were stellar moments throughout. (Nothing to see here, by the way.)

And since then I’ve been pretty pumped up for tonight’s Season 6 premiere. Set your DVRs for 8:57 p.m.

Gossip — Michael feels left out as the rest of the office gossips about the summer interns. While Michael searches for the next juicy rumor to share, Andy struggles with heterosexuality.

I’ve given up on expecting the episode summaries to accurately reflect the episodes. Random predictions are as likely to be accurate.

Anyway, for some thoughts on how things might play out, check out NPR’s blog item on the premiere. If nothing else, the writer picked the perfect clip to show how good the show can be in portraying a storyline not everyone will embrace right off the bat.

Check out the reader poll to the right of your screen for more on that.

Community’s a quirky little comedy that fits right in amongst NBC’s other Thursday night quirkfests: The Office and 30 Rock. (Sorry, I can’t muster up much enthusiasm for Parks and Recreation – at least not based on last season’s lackluster laughs.)

It’s a little bit snarky, sure – but personally, I’m a big fan of the snark.

Joel McHale excels as a slimy lawyer who needs a college degree and fast – don’t ask, it’s a long story – so he enrolls at Greendale Community College. A supporting cast of oddballs – including Bedford’s Chevy Chase in his first regular TV gig since SNL – rounds out the show nicely, too.

Check out my full review of the first episode here – and check out the show yourself at 9:30 p.m. tonight!

(Photo courtesy of NBC)

Well, everyone except Dan. (Hey, his turn is coming after Georgina returns next week: Yes – whoops, my bad, SPOILER ALERT! – I said Dan and GEORGINA…)

And Eric and Jenny didn’t hook up either, it seems. Not with each other, of course – with anyone else. Although an Eric-Jenny mini-romance would be fun. (Note to GG writers: Have Eric give the straight life a try for an episode or two, just for kicks.)

Anyway, I digress. It was indeed the summer of smooching and more. (Stealing horses and carousing in the woods? Shame, shame, Carter and Serena.)

Unfortunately, I didn’t feel much passion about any of these relationships, even – GASP! – Chuck and Blair.

Yes, the two were still together, although the couple were trying to jazz up their brand-new relationship already by role-playing (a.k.a. Blair going psycho when she catches C. flirting with other girls). Not to sound like an old fuddy-duddy, but did anyone else find their new reindeer games a bit, well, sad? These kids are 18 and  have been going out for just three months, but they need to spice things up already? Then again, maybe they’re right, because I was a bit bored with their togetherness too – and I only had to watch them for an hour.

I can’t even remember a single decent quip from either of them last night, can you? Has monogamy sapped them of their snark? Sigh. We’re only one ep into Season Three, and already, I long for the game-playing, will-they-or-won’t-they days of old. Not good. However, I must say that Chuck’s sincere “I’m not Chuck Bass without you” was a bit of a heart-melter.

As for the rest of the gang, Nate was handed a mildly more interesting love life this season with the courtship of Bree Buckley, the daughter of his grandfather’s political rival. And seems like Gramps is going to use that somehow to bring down his conservative enemy: I’m guessing nude photos, aren’t you?

And jeez, can they give Nate a storyline that doesn’t involve a sex scandal? Oh, who am I kidding, like they’re going to squander Chase Crawford eye candy on some kind of, oh, I don’t know, let’s say, a term paper brouhaha at Columbia. Then again, I’m sure they’d figure out some way to feature Nate’s naked chest, even if the scene required a hazmat suit.

At least Nate and the narcolepsy-inducing Vanessa finally broke up, although they had apparently a brief fling in Prague, of all places. V. is now macking on newbie Scott, who, of course, is the lost-long love child of Rufus and Lily. Is he really into Vanessa, or is he just using her to get close to Rufus and the Upper East Side Brady Bunch? Hopefully, it’s the latter, because Scott looked like V.’s little brother when they were kissing. Ick.

Then there was Serena and Carter, who let slip that S.’s summertime shenanigans were due to the fact that her estranged father refuses to see her. So she’s teaming up with the paparazzi to ensure that Daddy van der Woodsen can’t turn around without seeing his little girl topless in every European gossip rag. Lovely.

BTW, was it explained exactly why random CARTER was the one who tracked down Serena’s father? Were all of the other male GG cast members otherwise engaged? Was Leighton Meester tired of footing the brunch bill with boyfriend Sebastian Stan, and insist that he get a job?

So what did YOU think of the premiere, boys and girls? Were you pleased with the group’s summertime antics? Or are you just waiting for school to start next week? That’s right, Dan, Blair and Vanessa start at NYU, where – as the the trailer let slip – Georgina will be Blair’s roommate.

Let the real fun begin!

(Photos courtesy of the CW)

But now John Schneider is playing a mean guy – Liam’s plastic surgeon stepfather – when he joins the cast of 90210 tonight. And the Mount Kisco native couldn’t be happier about it.

When I interviewed him for our Fall TV preview, he told me:

It’s fun to be able to let loose, than play the stoic man of honor.

Read the full interview with Schneider here – and check him out tonight when he debuts alongside the Beverly Hills gang!

(Photo credit: Dana Patrick)

Yes, the couture kids from Gossip Girl are back for a new season. But this time around – EEK! – they’re about to be college freshmen.

But first, let’s catch up on everyone’s sure-to-be-scandal-packed vacations, shall we?

Starting with what every GG fan is dying to know…is Bluck still together after a summer of love?

And yes, Blair and Chuck are BF + GF – awww! – even though they’re still adjusting that that official relationship status.

What else?

Nate’s got a new GF, newbie Bree Buckley (played by Privileged’s JoAnna Garcia), which might create a sticky situation for both of their families – since they’re political rivals.

Serena’s got a new BF: And look closely, that’s not Dan in the photo below – it’s Carter Baizen, OMG!

Serena and Blair are still BF4e, of course.

And oh yeah, Jenny and Eric are still around.

So tune in tonight to the GG premiere – and remember, it’s got a new time, 9 p.m.

Check back here tomorrow for the usual recap… ta-ta ‘til then, Upper East Siders!

(Photos courtesy of the CW)

That’s pretty unbelievable, when you think about it.

OK, the vote totals are pretty low. Still, as unscientific (read: meaningless) as it is, it’s still an embarassment in black-and-white to fans of other great shows coming back this fall and promising new ones making their debuts. (Glee, anyone?)  I won’t let factual accuracy keep me from making a big deal about it.

So come on. Cast your vote, write in your favorite show, then clear your cache and vote again if you want.

Tell us what new or returning show are you looking forward to most?

So this morning, as I found myself pushing a wonky-wheeled cart through the Mount Kisco Target where I was  picking up a few things, I gave in to inevitability.

I bought The Office Season 5 DVD set.

As I rambled on about the other day, my love affair with the show has cooled off considerably in recent season. And while Season 5 had fewer plot missteps than Season 3 and was more consistent than Season 4, it wasn’t without warts. Losing Amy Ryan, making Charles Minor both uninteresting and jerky, allowing Moroccan Christmas to air, dropping the Pam-goes-to-New-York storyline like a moldy beet and finishing the season with a pregnancy—A pregnancy!—come to mind.

But adding Amy Ryan in the first place, executing the brilliant Michael Scott Paper Company arc, allowing “Broke” to air and scenes like Dwight, Andy and Erin performing “Country Roads” and everyone walking out with Michael at the end of “Blood Drive” went a long way toward redeeming those missteps for me.

So, considering that my Chuck Season 2 pre-order won’t be available until March (another epic fail, NBC), I figured I could justify the purchase. I didn’t spring for the nifty gifty set with the script and bonus DVD writers interview because I know me, and I know I’m never going to look at those things. So right there I saved $7.

At least that’s how I’ll try explaining this extravagance to my wife.

Now let’s hope Season 6, which debuts a week from tomorrow with “Gossip” is even better so I don’t have to have this debate a year from now.

In the meantime, check out OfficeTally’s Season 5 DVD buying guide. And feel free to chime in below if you hesitated or were at all undecided about buying the DVDs.

(Photo of me by, well, me.)

Hey, I’m not jumping on any bandwagon here; I’ve been a card-carrying fan since the pilot aired last May.

But I’ve seen tonight’s second episode, and honestly, it’s even better than the first.

Tonight, the Glee club needs to recruit more members in order to make it to Nationals, and the kids know that their first performance in front of the entire school has to be killer.

Let’s just say that the number they choose to sing – a switcheroo made behind Will’s back – is an absolute show-stopper. (Check back here tomorrow to rave about it. Seriously, it’s that good.)

There’s also a significant tug-of-war between Quinn and Rachel over Finn, and Will’s baby-crazy wife, Terri, gets some shocking news.

Need more to get you excited? How about a rockin’ rendition of Kanye West’s “Gold Digger,” with Will on lead vocals?

Check out this behind-the-scenes chat with actor Matthew Morrison, describing his reaction to the news that he’d be tackling Mr. West…

Download:

Get ready, everyone: After tonight, I predict that you’ll be head-bopping and humming, “Get down, girl, go ‘head, get down” for quite awhile!

Get down, girl, go ‘head, get down…

(Photo and video courtesy of FOX)

Cat admitted to having some worries about SYTYCD debuting during the regular TV season, after having reaped great success as a summer series.

After all, the show will now go head-to-head with hits like NCIS and Dancing with the Stars on Tuesdays and America’s Next Top Model on Wednesdays.

But one thing she doesn’t worry about?

What she’s going to wear on the air.

The stunning Brit, who doesn’t use a stylist, has gotten heaps of praise for her fashion sense – and she says that she doesn’t plan her wardrobe at all in advance. She literally wakes up in the morning, decides what she feels like wearing on the show that night, pulls it out of her wardrobe and takes it to the studio.

Click through to see what else Cat commented on, including whether or not she’d like to see Paula Abdul on SYTYCD...and don’t forget to tune in tonight!

Cat on whether Season 6’s launch is too soon after the Season 5 finale:

I love the fact that Fox has so much confidence in the show and that the audience is so passionate about it. But if I have to be very honest, I am approaching it with a little trepidation. You just don’t know if it’s all a bit too much, too soon. But I have to say, after going out on the road, and meeting the new kids we’ve got coming in…the standard of dancing is higher than ever. Also the characters are better than ever too. We’re looking for stars, we’re looking for people that the American public can identify with, really connect with, and I think we found them. I think it’s going to be a great season.

On whether Paula Abdul will be guest judging the show, as rumored:

I don’t know any more about it. I know both Paula and Nigel are very good friends, and I know prior to Paula leaving [American Idol], I know they talked about it a little bit. Because obviously, she’s a world-renowned choreographer. This is a talent that’s not really exploited on American Idol, and I think would actually fit really well on So You Think You Can Dance. I don’t know what capacity she’d going to be involved in, but I have to say, I would love to see her on the panel.

On whether Ryan, brother of last season’s finalist Evan Kasprzak, makes it to the Top 20 this time:

I don’t think I can actually reveal the full facts yet. But you’ll have to watch the show to find out. He did very, very well though. His audition just blew everyone away…it literally makes the hairs on your arm stand on end. You get chills. He was amazing during Vegas Week, but you’re going to have to wait to find out. I’m so sorry!

On who would win in a dance-off, her or Ryan Seacrest:

Only if it was followed by a sing-off, and then we’d see…People would bleed from their eyes if I started to dance. It would be dreadful!

On whether she felt overlooked by the Emmys for Best Reality Show Host:

I don’t think I’ve been around long enough in America to really justify it and to be part of people’s consciousness…To be perfectly honest, I think it’s going to take a couple more years before I even get a nod…I’m more than happy doing my thing, and I love the show.

On how much work she puts into her style:

It’s actually not that much work. If I see something I love, be it vintage or High Street or designer, I buy it. So I do that whenever. I don’t put aside a day or anything like that. If I just see something I like, I instantly buy it…It’s very much down to how I feel on the day. Like any other woman, sometimes you can rock a little black leather minidress, and other days, you want a really comfortable wrap-around [Diane von Furstenberg] that covers up everything and just takes care of itself. I very much kind of wake up on the day and, okay, how am I feeling today?

(Photos courtesy of FOX)

I really, really, really, really like it, but the obsession I once had for the show has waned in recent seasons. There’s still so much that’s great about it, and it’s probably the most consistently good show on television. It’s clearly the best sitcom on the air, and it’s one of NBC’s best offerings overall.

But the brilliant first two seasons have become distant memories, followed by some seriously misguided and strike-hampered story arcs in the next two seasons (though they weren’t without great moments). Season 5, though, marked, if not a return to form, at least an intermittently stretches of great storytelling.

(Check out my bullet-by-bullet take on Season 5 after the jump.)

Here’s how I recently summed it up…

Yeah, whatevs. Listen, they’re great characters portrayed by actors I really enjoy. But I stopped caring about Jim And Pam™ somewhere between “Then…it’s a date.” and “Are you kidding me?”

I no longer find myself scouring OfficeTally or LiveJournal for Office news every 20 minutes or rewatching old episodes a half-dozen at a time. I’m down to one hardcore Office fan site, and even then it’s because the folks there are a cool crew and the chatter is only somewhat Office-centered.

That said, I’ve been getting pumped for the new season all the same. No, I didn’t squee at the Twitter tip-offs about wedding photos and plot leaks began surfacing a month ago. (See here, here, here, here and here.)

But I did think it was cool to find out that Fonzi’s ex-girlfriend (look it up) would be portraying Pam’s mom. And I might even rethink my decision to blow off buying the Season 5 DVDs. I’m watching a lot of The Wire Season 1 lately, and it’ll depend whether I decide that Amy Ryan brought more to The Office than Idris Elba took away. I think she did. (I love Stringer Bell, mind you.)

But then I’ll be reminded that there are soon to be bobble heads available for the entire cast, and that the entire set can be yours for upwards of $300. And that’s when I withdraw a little more.

The remedy? An official plot summary. Here’s what NBC put out about the Sept. 17 premiere.

MICHAEL GETS CAUGHT UP IN OFFICE GOSSIP – Michael feels left out as the rest of the office gossips about the summer interns. While Michael searches for the next juicy rumor to share, Andy struggles with heterosexuality.

So check out the following preview clips. The first one, from Zap2it, is lengthy, ringing in at 5:45. The next two are half-minute NBC promos.

Zap2it: Behind the scenes look at Season 6 (5:45)

We Heart Chuck, the fan effort that last May tied support for Chuck’s renewal to donations to the American Heart Association, has rebooted. After raising more than $17,000 in 17 days from loyal fans, the show was given its delayed renewal, and the fundraising leveled off at over $18,000.

But fan enthusiasm never waned, as the summer-long “Chuck Me Mondays” events attest.

Now, with an eye to series star Zachary Levy’s Sept. 29 birthday, organizers are offering fans a chance to send him a personalized birthday card simply by making a donation to the AHA. For every donation, AHA will send Levi a card. And word is, he reads his mail. All of it.

The renewed campaign reflects the ongoing partnership between the AHA and the fan volunteers at We Heart Chuck.

Check this out from their latest media release…

A standard solid defibrillator costs approximately $1500.  In 2008, emergency defibrillators saved over 650 lives.  You, “Chuck” fans, are making a tremendous difference in the lives of sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers and other friends and family members.

Here’s my blog post on the subject last May, when the campaign launched.

By the way, Chuck Me Mondays continue. If you’re on Twitter, join in every Monday evening and use the hashtag #freechuck to help implore NBC and the rest of the powers that be to free the early Season 2 episodes for online streaming.

And while I have your attention, check this out. It’s a great argument for why everyone should be a fan of Chuck.

So will Katy Perry, who had been announced as a guest judge earlier in the audition process but never scheduled.

Until now. So will the singer-songwriters be sweet or snide when critiquing Idol’s wannabes?

We’ll have to wait and see. Meanwhile, the two join the growing crew of stars filling in for the departed Paula Abdul, including Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Shania Twain, Kristin Chenoweth, Joe Jonas and Neil Patrick Harris.

Speaking of NPK, who went to the Dallas auditions, check out his amusing interview with EW: It details how he got the gig (he’s friends with Kara DioGuardi) and whether he harshed on any contestants (he says he “shattered dreams”).

Awesome.

Do you prefer the Glee club version of “Don’t Stop Believin’” to Journey’s original?

Do you religiously follow Lea Michele (Rachel) and Cory Monteith (Finn) on Twitter?

Are you telling everyone you know to watch the official series launch on Sept. 9?

Then you might just be the biggest GLEEk, and FOX is inviting fans to prove that they are worthy of that very title!

Link your Twitter, Facebook and MySpace accounts to www.fox.com/gleek through Sept. 24, and you’ll start earning points based on how many times you mention Glee in status updates, postings or friend invites to the competition.

Then FOX’s little Internet elves will track the top point-earners on the GLEEderboard, with the best of the best making it all the way to “Nationals.”

You can also enter a contest to snag Glee merchandise (hats, t-shirts, etc.), – and one lucky GLEEk will win the grand prize of a trip for four to L.A. to have dinner with the Glee cast!

Don’t stop believin’, everyone – and be sure to tune in to tonight’s re-run of the show’s pilot. It’s a special director’s cut, which will feature never-before-seen footage. (And for all those setting their DVRs, the episode starts at 8:58 p.m.)

Go, Glee!

(Photo courtesy of FOX)

He has interesting guests, but I find King himself pretty tough to take.

That said, I plan to check out his show tonight at 9 p.m. on CNN.

LoHud.com is reporting that King will have Daniel Schuler, husband of wrong-way crash mom Diane Schuler, on as a guest.

Diane Schuler was the woman who drove north in the southbound lane of the Taconic Parkway July 26, striking an oncoming SUV in a collision that killed her, her 2-year-old daugther and three young nieces, as well as three Yonkers men on their way to a family dinner.

In a bizarre press conference soon after with attorney Dominic Barbara, of Howard Stern Show fame, Daniel Schuler and family members said medical ailments such as diabetes, an untreated abscess in her mouth, a “bump” on her leg that could have been an embolism or a stroke might have been to blame for the crash.

Diane Schuler was later found to have a blood-alcohol level the equivalent to 10 drinks and high levels of THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in her blood. State police said she smoked marijuana as recently as 15 minutes before the crash.

I cannot imagine what Daniel Schuler will have to say tonight. He lost so much himself in that crash—his wife, a daughter, three nieces—and his son Brian, 5, was badly injured.

I hope this won’t be a repeat of that press conference, but I’ll tune in because, as cut and dried as the toxicology results were, this is a case replete with questions and wanting for answers.

Well, not school so much as TV blogging, which I took an unexpected hiatus from doing about a month ago. But things seem to be settling down and I’m ready to get back into a rhythm of watching, recapping and generally rambling about the shows I like watching most.

At least that’s how it starts out. Why blog about shows you don’t like, right? Well, you don’t plan on a 30 Rock to turn stale in its third season after two spectacular ones, and you don’t expect a Parks and Recreation to be so uneven despite a solid pedigree. You sure don’t expect NBC to keep milking Heroes long after every viewer and half the cast seemed to stop caring.

No, no one makes me stick with shows that I no longer have the passion for, but it’s hard to give up on a show. That said, taking a few weeks off before a new season allows me to do a reset. And here’s how my blog-sponsibilities shape up for the immediate future.

Curb Your Enthusiasm returns for a seventh season on Sunday, Sept. 20. And since Larry David has never to my knowledge been involved with a bad episode of television, I’ll be right there for every Susie Essman F-bomb.

Chuck is my Monday night mainstay, but it’s slated for a March debut because NBC is stupid has other plans for that night. Still, I have about five more episodes in my Season 1 Look-Back to recap thanks to my recent hiatus, so I may begin filling the gap with that. Might not have enough weeks to plow through Season 2 before the show returns, but who knows?

Thursday night means The Office, and season 6, which debuts Sept. 17, means a Jim-Pam wedding and a smirky-faced bambino on the way. The Office is why I watch TV at all — until 2005, practically all I watched was the news and the Mets — and it’s why I blog. The show has drifted further and further from Season 2, chronologically and in spirit. But I’m a Dunder-Mifflinite for the long haul. Why? It’s nebulose.

Thursday also means Community, the new Joel McHale comedy that looks pretty hilarious. It also starts Sept. 17. I plan to give that a gander. If it’s as good as its pilot, I’ll stick with it.

But Thursdays have been a pretty hectic night for me. Actually, Fridays were really hectic as I tried to recap three shows from the night before. I don’t plan on doing that anymore. Which leads me to: Shows I No Longer Plan to Blog About.

Heroes — Seriously, was I the only one watching last season? It is so far off the rails I don’t believe it can recover, no matter how many mid-season corretions. Kristen Bell was a great addition, for example, so naturally they killed her off. The new Nathan is the old Sylar? No thanks.

Parks and Recreation — I’ll keep watching Amy Poehler’s show about a misfit municipal official, and I’ll comment on it occasionally. But I can’t dedicate time and blog space to it anymore. The funniest characters were minor ones: Chris Pratt as Rashida Jones’s boyfriend and Nick Offerman’s parks department boss. I don’t expect Jones to be funny, but when Aziz Ansari isn’t making me laugh, something is very wrong.

30 Rock — Jack’s daddy issues and Liz’s boyfriend/baby issues sucked the life out of me. If not for Tracy Morgan, Jack McBrayer, Jane Krakowski and all the minor characters who get too little screen time, I’d have given up sooner. Again, I’ll keep watching, because this show is still the funniest on TV. But in trying to make it a show worth caring about, they’ve made me stop caring about it.

(Photo Derek Davis/The Journal News)

The network offers reruns of Fringe’s shocking episode, “The Pattern,” on Thursday, and Glee’s pilot on Friday (both at 9 p.m.).

As both shows air, actors and producers will send in tweets, via Twitter as well as an onscreen scroll. They’ll offer commentary about the episodes, answer fan questions and drop some hints about the upcoming season.

So who’ll be participating?

The Fringe folks include cast members Joshua Jackson and John Noble, along with executive producers Jeff Pinkner and J.H. Wyman. (The show premieres on Sept. 17.)

As for the Glee crew, look out for messages from Lea Michele (Rachel), Cory Monteith (Finn), Mark Salling (Puck), Chris Colfer (Kurt), Amber Riley (Mercedes) and Kevin McHale (Artie).

Most of the Glee kids have actually been tweeting all summer as they tour the country to promote the series, which officially launches Sept. 9. (I’ve already seen the premiere ep, and if possible, it’s even better than the pilot!)

So if you want to check out some of the Glee club’s preliminary chit-chat before Friday, keep clicking for hyperlinks to each cast member’s Twitter account…

Lea Michele (Rachel), @msleamichele

Kevin McHale (Artie), @druiddude

Mark Salling (Puck), @mark_salling

Cory Monteith (Finn), @frankenteen

Amber Riley (Mercedes), @msamberriley

Chris Colfer (Kurt), @chriscolfer

(Photos courtesy of FOX)

Not only is she up for an Emmy award next month for her role on the dearly departed Pushing Daisies, she’ll be the next celebrity guest judge on American Idol.

Chenoweth – who’s also got a spot on FOX’s Glee coming up – will be at Idol’s Orlando auditions later this week, according to People.com.

Now this is what I was talking about earlier this week when I harshed on the news that Neil Patrick Harris would be an Idol judge, too. Once again, I love NPH, but one role in Broadway’s Cabaret doesn’t exactly make him a singer.

Chenoweth, on the other hand, is a musical theater veteran: She’s a Tony winner best known as the original Glinda the Good Witch in Wicked. Classically trained in opera, she’s performed at the Metropolitan Opera House and recorded a number of albums.

Who else is excited to see the wee KC on the small screen again, even if it’s in small doses?

And now we hear he’s already moved on to another cable smash: FX’s Damages.

(USA Network: David Giesbrecht)

Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello is reporting that the South Salem native is joining the cast for Damages’ third season, set to launch early next year.

No word yet on whether Scott will play a new client, another associate at Hewes & Associates or opposing counsel in whatever crazy case Patty decides to pick up next.

Anyone else think that he’s a major score for the show, far better than William Hurt turned out to be last season?

(Giovanni Rufino / The CW)

But Entertainment Weekly was first to report that the Gossip Girl bad boy will be switching sides (temporarily) and kiss another man this season.

Michael Ausiello’s spies say that Chuck’s smoochy partner isn’t one of the show’s regular boy toys. It’s actor Neal Bledsoe, who’s guest starring as NYU’s head of freshman affairs. (Who knew there was such a thing?)

Blair’s involved in this sudden turn of events, naturally. Bledsoe’s gay character is in charge of picking a student to deliver an important speech and – surprise, surprise – Blair is willing to offer up her boyfriend to get the gig.

Oh, B. Will you ever learn?

(Eric McCandless/FOX)

But a guest judge on American Idol?!!

E!’s sources at FOX say that NPH was indeed on the judge’s panel yesterday at the Dallas auditions.

Sure, he’s been on Broadway before. But one stint in Cabaret doesn’t exactly make him a musical expert in my book.

Other guest judges for the upcoming season have been Grammy winners like Shania Twain and Mary J. Blige.

Does this mean AI is hitting the bottom of the barrel? No disrespect intended to NPH, of course…

(Seth Harrison/The Journal News )

They bested six other families who participated in the contest, tackling challenges at each stop along their Route 66 trip from Chicago to Los Angeles. For the last task – deciphering a photo puzzle with clues from locations that they’d previously visited – the DiSalvatores beat the Coote family of Lockport, Ill.

They took home a $100,000 grand prize, plus a year’s worth of free gas, tickets to Universal Studio and plane tickets to anywhere in the U.S.

Congratulations to the DiSalvatores!

Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello got the scoop on a new recurring character named Lennon.

They want an actor in his mid-30s to late 50s, who can play this kind of guy:

Lennon: Scruffy, edgy, charismatic, and slightly stir-crazy, Lennon can be deferential when it’s called for. He’s the spokesperson/translator for the president of a foreign corporation. He’s a wily negotiator, and far more powerful than his lowly position would seem to indicate.

We all know that the producers never give out the characters’ real names in their casting calls, but is the name Lennon a clue?

And who does Lennon work for?

Sun’s dad, Mr. Paik, makes sense. This Lennon character might be one way the show explains how Paik Industries is tied to Widmore’s company and the Hanso Foundation (which funded the Dharma Inititative).

Post your theories about Lennon in the comments section below!

Then if you need a break from all that thinking, click through to check out some new ABC promos that feature a few of our favorite Losties…

ABC “House” promo featuring Hurley:

ABC “House” promo featuring Ben:

ABC “House” promo featuring Sawyer:

Joe Jonas has just been added to the roster of guest judges on “American Idol.”

(AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

According to multiple reports like this one, the middle Jonas brother is confirmed to appear at the Dallas auditions on Monday.

He’s among the growing list of celebs – which includes Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige and Shania Twain – who are helping fill the fourth judge’s seat while the show looks for a permanent replacement for Paula Abdul.

Let the screaming begin!

Now they’ve found her: New Rochelle’s Gina Torres.

TVGuide.com reports that V’s mommy, named Gabriela Abrams, will be the warm and fuzzy type, unlike many of her friends’ parents.

Yet V lives in Brooklyn and is working at Rufus’ gallery to pay the rent, while Mom resides “off the grid” in Vermont.

Doesn’t exactly sound like quality parenting to me…but that’s what makes “GG” so much fun!

If Torres looks familiar, that’s because she’s had recurring roles on “24,” “Firefly”  and “Alias.” She also played Cas opposite hubby Laurence Fishburne – now the star of “CSI” – in the Matrix sequels.

Both Morse and the actor who played him, the superb John Thaw, are gone now. In “Inspector Lewis” — the smartly done sequel series airing at 9 p.m. Sundays on PBS’ “Masterpiece Mystery!” — Lewis (Kevin Whately) is the top dog. And his young sidekick, Sgt. Hathaway (Laurence Fox), has a cerebral, musical bent that Morse would’ve enjoyed nurturing. Or not.This delicious sense of completion is just one of the many pleasures of this series,  in rerun on THIRTEEN. The new season begins with “And the Moonbeams Kiss the Sea” (Aug. 30), which crystallizes all the series’ strengths. There’s the magnificent Oxford setting, with shadowy goings-on amid the light-dappled courtyards and sculpted spires and domes of the university. Rarely is place given such principal importance in American television.

No, American TV is more interested in pretty people. In “Inspector Lewis,” the characters, and the actors who play them, have a lived-in look. And yet, they still manage to be interesting, even sexy people. Fancy that.

Apart from the sense of place and character, what really makes “Inspector Lewis” work are the meaty plots in which the seemingly unrelated crimes nonetheless always have a cultural link. In “Moonbeams,” the murder of a library custodian with a gambling problem and a fey student who lives for art are connected by the great  Romantic poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. (The title is a line from one of his poems.)

The rebellious, impractical Shelley was one of Oxford’s more notorious students, having been expelled for writing a pamphlet on atheism, although smarty-pants Hathaway says it was for an affair with a married woman. (Being a romantic — with a small “r” — I  prefer Hathaway’s interpretation, don’t you?)

Hang on for the twisting, poignant conclusion, in which you’ll also be rewarded with a view of the university’s stunning sculpted tribute to Shelley, who drowned off the coast of Italy in 1822, a month short of his 30th birthday. But don’t weep for him. Shelley believed life was but “the painted veil.”

Or as he wrote in “Adonais,” his elegy for another Romantic poet, John Keats:

Peace, peace! he is not dead, he doth not sleep,
He hath awaken’d from the dream of life.

People.com has confirmed that Shania Twain will be the next singing star to join Simon, Randy and Kara on the judges’ panel. She’ll help cover the Chicago round on Aug. 30-31.

Twain follows Mary J. Blige, who helped out in Atlanta this week, and Victoria “Posh” Beckham, who pouted with the Boston wanna-bes earlier this month.

So who’s next? Katy Perry is on board at some point in the audition process, but meanwhile, the show’s producers are also searching for a permanent replacement for Paula. (That is, if they’re not secretly in talks to bring Paula back in time for Hollywood week, as some cynics suspect.)

The latest rumor had Jessica Simpson as a contender, with the sent out a tweet saying he was in Thailand, writing: “Do the lies ever stop????”

Well, if the story isn’t true – and Joe Simpson doesn’t exactly have a reputation for truth-telling – then Joe should get his tush back to the U.S.

Because given the sorry state of Jess’s career (and love life) at the moment, they should both be happy she’s being mentioned in the same breath as America’s No. 1 TV show…