Speaking of Bravo reality shows, anyone who’s watched them for several years–anyone who’s watched any TV for several years–has witnessed an evolving phenomenon: the gradual shrinking of the censor’s bleep. It used to be that even on a Bravo reality show–or, say, a network show like Fox’s Action–one of the major curse words would be …

For Top Chef et al. fans, a fascinating cover story in this week’s New York magazine on Bravo reality shows. Turns out they’re reality shows: they’re cast for entertainment value, and the contestants don’t immediately become top-tier designers, chefs and hairdressers. Not even close. Among the saddest revelations: that Andrae “AHN-drae” …

HBO photo: John P. Johnson

I have no inside intelligence on whether we’ll ever see a second season of John from Cincinnati, but if we don’t, I do hope David Milch casts Ed O’Neill in whatever he does next. However baffling or maddening JFC can be, O’Neill (who starred in Milch’s sadly short-lived Big Apple) grounds the show every time …

IFC / Susan Anderson

OK, Mr. Killjoy TV Critic: you didn’t like The Company–what am I supposed to watch on TV this Sunday? One of cable’s best low-key pleasures of 2006, IFC’s The Minor Accomplishments of Jackie Woodman, is back for a second season. Starring, created and written by the brassily sardonic Laura Kightlinger, it’s a sort …

The Dow Jones / News Corp. deal has entered the 2008 Democratic primary, with Fox News as the new Willie Horton. In an e-mail to supporters, John Edwards called on Democrats to speak out against the merger and “take the necessary steps” to stop it.

Regular readers know that I’m pretty libertarian on media-and-government issues. (Though …

In the print TIME this week, a brief review of TNT’s six-hour CIA miniseries The Company, debuting Sunday night. I’m loath to expand on it, because the review is the only thing brief associated with this mini. A history of the cold war told through the stories of a set of American and Russian spies, it covers much the same thematic and …

Has the Tuned In community embraced Damages? I had considered giving it Watch status this summer but last week’s post drew an underwhelming response, so maybe the show doesn’t merit it. Or maybe it’s me.

Anyway, brief, mildly spoiler-y thoughts on episode 2, because it’s been a while since I screened it. I was a bit skeptical about Ted …

This week: the white rabbits. Yes, I posted about this last week, but it was late on a Friday, there was no good video available yet, and also, dude! White rabbits! Magically multiplying! Like rabbits! That’s good for at least two posts! Here’s the video, screened by Lost’s producers at ComicCon last week:

(The video also streamed at …

Filming for Shark Week’s Perfect Predators. Doug Perrine/Seapics.com

Sharks have legs. In its 20th year, Discovery Channel’s Shark Week had its biggest debut ever, drawing 3.9 million viewers to Ocean of Fear: The Worst Shark Attack Ever on Sunday night. There’s the publicity pull of the big 20th anniversary, of course, but I suspect …

Queen Babs has filled one of the vacancies at The View roundtable, hiring Whoopi Goldberg. From the ABC press release:

Barbara Walters, creator/executive producer and co-host of ABC’s “The
View,” officially announced today, live on “The View,” that Whoopi Goldberg has
been named moderator of her Emmy®

…

The morning after News Corp.’s all-but-finalized acquisition of Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal, Fox News Channel demonstrated the fairness and balance it’s world famous for. “Oh, come on, let’s just say it! I’m excited!” said Fox business correspondent Dagen McDowell, flashing a smile the width of an ear of corn. “Who isn’t …

Sam Jones/FOX

Test Pilot is a semiregular feature this summer sharing my first impressions of the pilots for next fall’s shows. These aren’t reviews, since these pilots may be rewritten, recast and reshot before airing, and end up much better or worse. But, premature opinions are why God invented the Internet, so let’s get on …