
MAD MEN
For us every-day TV Addicts who let’s face it, don’t always pick up on the subtle subtleties of every look, nuance and intricate line of dialogue that are packed into each and every hour of the Matthew Weiner masterpiece, Sunday’s game-changer of a finale that had Don leading Roger and Bertram (Sterling and Cooper respectively) in a coup d’état in an effort to take control of their own destiny by secretly starting their own agency was plain and simple mad mad fun. Now, if only we had some assurances that we haven’t seen the last of Ken, Paul and Sal!
90210
After almost a season and a half, this week’s installment of 90210 finally delivered that missing piece of the puzzle. The spark of genuine friendship between our leading players upon Liam finally revealing to Dixon, Teddy and surfer chick Ivy the reason why he looks like he’s ready to ‘Hulk smash’ at a moments notice. Seriously. All that was missing from this next gen gang’s vow to help Liam take Naomi’s duplicitous sister Jen down was an iconic Brandon/Steve/Dylan fist-bump.
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January Jones Hosting SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
January Jones stepping into 30 Rock’s hallowed Studio 8H to host SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE this weekend is all well and good. But the thing that makes us go “Hmmmm,” well, aside from the fact that we have a feeling at around 11:35PM google will find itself inundated with the question “Who is January Jones?” — is the timing of Jones’ hosting gig. After-all, nothing says lets hype Sunday’s phenomenal MAD MEN season finale like hosting SNL… the following Saturday. Oops.
90210’s Shenae Grimes
What started out as an interesting way to handle a poorly conceived character that never really connected with viewers continues to get well less so, after yet another week went by with Shenae Grimes’ Annie Wilson on the outside looking in. Seriously, we can’t recall the last time (if ever) a character that started out the series front-and-center was pushed so far back into the periphery. Hey 90210 EP Rebecca Rand Kirshner, care to explain?
The handling of Barney and Robin
After a season of build-up, anticipation and hype, HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER’s Barney and Robin are officially (spoiler alert!) no more. And while disappointment may not be exactly how we’d characterize the relationship that we believe is at least partially to blame for HIMYM’s somewhat less than stellar start to the season, we can’t help but be somewhat surprised that the same writers who gave us the genius that is the ’slap bet,’ ‘Robin Sparkles,’ and one of the cleverest sitcom hooks in recent memory (See: The mystery surrounding the titular mother) handled the pairing up of ‘Robney’ so poorly.
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• Desperate no more, Marc Cherry signs a rich new deal potentially keeping DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES on the air until 2013.
• Another one bites the dust, with Ausiello delivering the scoop on last night’s shocking VAMPIRE DIARIES turn-of-events.
• D’OH! The voice of Homer Simpson, Dan Castellaneta will soon be ‘landing’ on Wisteria Lane.
• Rumer has it, 90210 is going gay.
• The American dream continues for Stan Smith, whose AMERICAN DAD gets awarded a sixth season by FOX.

Thank to yet another stellar outing, this TV Addict is officially ready to crown 90210 the season’s most improved player. But in lieu of a crown — which alas, this little-blog-that-could most definitely can’t afford — we hope the CW and new showrunner Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair will accept something far more valuable: A mea culpa. After-all, when we’re wrong, we’re wrong. Which is why we’re willing to admit that in-spite of stars Annalynne McCord and Trevor Donovan looking like they’re 17 going on 30, we currently find ourselves growing surprisingly attached to them both. Particularly McCord, whose desperate attempt to weasel her way into California University last night by morphing from Naomi Clark into Naomi Klein had us in stitches. Meanwhile, Shenae Grimes’ Annie Mills is not only far less annoying this season, she has us genuinely concerned for her safety. And by that we mean, is it possible for new friend Jasper to give off anymore of a creepy Beaver Cassidy Casablancas Neptune High circa 2006 vibe? (RIP: VERONICA MARS) Call us crazy, but we’re starting to wonder if Jasper’s Uncle may have been dead before Annie drove away from her personal prom nightmare!
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1. The COMMUNITY series premiere. [iTunes Link]
2. The PARKS AND RECREATION season premiere. [iTunes Link]
3. The 90210 season premiere. [iTunes Link]
4. The MELROSE PLACE series premiere. [iTunes Link]
5. The BORED TO DEATH series premiere. [iTunes Link]
Thanks to last nights much-anticipated return of 90210 and MELROSE PLACE the TV Addict finally gets to scratch that itch by typing those four magical words that we’ve been jonsin’ for all summer long, “You Be The Critic.” Which if you’re new to theTVaddict.com (and by the way, thanks for stopping by) is YOUR opportunity to post away with your take on last night’s television. But before you do, a few random musing if we may.
As advertised, 90210 did in fact offer up a “New Beginning,” cleverly repositioning the series around the trifecta of talent that is Naomi (AnnaLynne McCord), Silver (Jessica Stroup) and Adrianne (Jessica Lowndes, sporting some much needed lush new locks!). Leaving sullen Shenae Grimes’ Annie Mills flying solo towards a dangerous downward path of booze, sex and public humiliation (Which gets much worse next week, just wait!) Just how much fun was last night’s 90210? Put it this way, between the much-improved dialogue (That “woosh” you just heard was the Viki Kristina Barcelona reference flying completely over our head), and the hilariously-wicked-yet-still-likeable Naomi Clark, we barely cared that the new theme song is a massive dud, Navid (Michael Steger) and Dixon (Tristan Wilds) are so boring that we’re praying that their next to join Ethan in Montana, and, try as they may, newcomer tennis hottie Teddy (Trevor Donovan) still looks 35.
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Upcoming 90210 guest star Rumor Willis (pictured above) doesn’t believe she owes her ‘acting career’ to her famous parents. No really. [GabbyBabble]
From iconic big screen superhero to CHUCK guest star, you know what’s not so super? Brandon Routh’s career trajectory. [EW]
Laura Linney thinks Cancer is funny. Clearly, somebody didn’t see Funny People. [Variety]
Good News: The cast of SWINGTOWN is back working. Bad News: On other shows. [Staying In]

Apparently new 90210 showrunner Rebecca Rand Kirshner Sinclair wasn’t kidding when she promised last spring that 90210’s second season would be ’significantly different’ from its first.
In fact, upon closer inspection of the show’s upcoming season premiere (airing September 8 at 8PM on the CW and Global in Canada), appropriately titled “To New Beginnings”, this TV Addict can’t help but wonder if a more appropriate title might have been “To New Directions.” How else to explain the single less-than-glamorous shot of the show’s once-central-character Annie Mills among the sixteen (Count ‘em, 16!) publicity stills released to the media? Is it possible 90210’s creative team finally came to their senses and realized that the re-boot needs to focus on characters viewers actually care about (See: the Taylors — Jackie, Kelly and Silver). Or, is this simply a happy coincidence? Post away with your theory in the comments below. 
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Good News: EW.com exclusive sneak peek at the new season of 90210 promises bigger, better and bolder. Bad News: What it really delivers is older —thanks to the addition of new cast member Trevor “Sure I look twenty, if this were 1999″ Donovan. [Source]
Good News: FOX has signed a deal with publisher Deep Silver to give PRISON BREAK the video game treatment. Bad News: Like the series itself, expect the game to start off on a high note, only to quickly fizzle out and frustrate viewers thanks to various implausible plot twists and a ridiculous story-line. [Source]
Good News: Tonight’s BETTER OFF TED season finale features a guest appearance by Twilight’s Rachel Lefevre. Bad News: Somebody forgot to alert ABC’s marketing department, who in turn neglected to inform the millions of Twihards. [Source]
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Hot off the heels of Reason #425 Why We’re Nervous For 90210’s Sophomore Year comes Reason #426: Rumer Willis — who according to Access Hollywood — has signed on to guest star on 90210 as Gia, a punky cute lesbian who isn’t afraid to speak her mind and will work alongside Navid, Adrianna and Silver at the Blaze News. 