The TV Addict 

If Katherine Heigl is so desperate to get released from her GREY’S ANATOMY contract in order to pursue stardom on the big screen there are probably easier ways to go about it. Ways that don’t involve publicly humiliating your co-workers.

In a statement released to the Associated Press yesterday, Heigl revealed that she has opted to not submit her name for Emmy consideration this year stating, “I did not feel that I was given the material this season to warrant an Emmy nomination.” Elaborating that, “In addition, I did not want to potentially take away an opportunity from an actress who was given such materials.”

Not surprisingly, GREY’S ANATOMY showrunner Shonda Rhimes, also known as the woman responsible for the success Heigl currently enjoys could not be reached for comment. Here’s hoping it was because she was too busy writing Heigl’s shocking season premiere death scene involving an unfortunate incident in a hospital elevator shaft.

Agree/Disagree, Post Away.

Last night’s two-hour season finale of GREY’S ANATOMY was the reason PVR/DVR’s were invented. Every few minutes there was a moment — be it a much anticipated kiss between Callie and Dr. Hahn, a surprising rant from Dr. Bailey revealing her penchant for Star Wars, Christina finally re-discovering her unequaled passion for surgery, George and Lexi, Alex’s Emmy—worthy breakdown and of course Meredith’s grand romantic gesture — that warranted a rewind and re-watch ohhh… only a few dozen times!

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for UGLY BETTY. While last night’s season finale was certainly an improvement over the show’s previous few episodes, this TV Addict still finds a few things troubling. No, not the ridiculously overhyped and underwhelming Lindsay Lohan cameo or the out-of-left field long-lost son that has inconspicuously popped up in Daniel’s life. Rather, taking a page from SMALLVILLE and THE OC, BETTY’s season ended with an elaborate music montage. Which any card carrying member of TV Addicts Anonymous will tell you is secretly code for, “Hey, we really have no idea where we’re going next season, so we’ll simply end the year off by throwing all of our characters into increasingly ridiculous situations and we’ll see what sticks come the fall.”

Agree/Disagree, Post away!

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA
With thirteen episodes remaining, serious kudos must go to the BATTLESTAR GALACTICA creative team for not only continuing to deliver one helluva final season, but forgoing all pretense of keeping the show accessible for new fans. Stand alone episodes, tedious exposition, who needs it? Certainly not when we’re this close to reaching earth!

GREY’S ANATOMY
Sloan’s new leaf! Callie and Hahn! Christina Cleaning! The Chief’s intern! Mer and Der! The only thing we’re not loving about the phenomenal string of post—WGA strike GREY’S ANATOMY episodes is that they’re coming to an end this Thursday.

AMY RYAN
Proving her Academy Award Nominated turn in GONE BABY GONE was no accident, we’ve got two words for Thursday’s remarkable guest starring turn by Amy Ryan — Emmy Nomination. In fact, Ryan’s stint as the ‘new Toby’ was so stellar that this TV Addict is going to offer up three more words on the off chance the proverbial Powers That Be are reading this. Spin—off potential.

ALIENS IN AMERICA
While the majority of the net is up in arms this week thanks to Mick St. John’s untimely stake to the heart and ABC taking the ax to MEN IN TREES. This TV Addict wanted to offer up one final shout out to last Sunday’s penultimate installment of ALIENS IN AMERICA. From heart to hilarity, there was absolutely nothing alien about the CW’s comedic hidden gem, except of course for viewers. Which is unfortunate, because surely I’m not the only one who is going to miss his weekly fix of Tolchuk adventure?

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Since frequent theTVaddict.com contributer ‘C.T.’ took the words right out of my mouth by saying that last night’s episode of “LOST Rocked,” I’m going to move on and simply mindlessly ramble about some of my other Thursday favorites.

UGLY BETTY finally brought the funny back by reuniting Marc and Amanda (”Marc and Amanda! We’re so funny together; everyone says so.”), putting Christina/Willi’s baby on the back-burner and having Gio step up and tell Betty, “I don’t want to be the rebound guy. I want to be THE guy.” Needless to say, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. No, we don’t want to be Betty’s guy, but we’re more than happy to never see the borefest that is Henry again. To paraphrase one of our generations great thinkers Paris Hilton [remember her?], Betty & Gio HOT, Henry NOT! In fact, here’s hoping that when UGLY BETTY moves to New York next season, the production ‘forget’ to tell Henry. Who’s with me?

As for GREY’S ANATOMY, I know I sound like a broken record — or busted Mp3 for all the young’ins out there — but Shonda Rhimes and Co. continue to hit it out of the park by offering up the perfect mix of hilarity and emotion. There was the absolute tear inducing story-line courtesy of brain tumor lady and her not-so-imaginary boyfriend. Hilarity thanks to the ‘new and improved’ Dr. Sloan, not to mention Christina’s continual descent into madness. Plus the obligatory Meredith/Derek melodrama allowing this TV Addict the opportunity to write the line I’ve been waiting all morning to type out, “I guess the bloom is off the rose!” (Zing!). Yes Meredith and Derek belong together, but am I the only TV Addict feeling somewhat bad for poor Rose? I mean Nurse Rose got exactly what she feared from day one — a heart broken courtesty of McDreamy. So cliché! Which is something GREY’S ANATMY usually abhors. See Dr. Hahn’s best rant of the night when the Chief tried to convince her to operate on his mentor, “I’m sorry is this going to be a story about how you were a struggling black med student who wanted to be a surgeon but no one would give you chance. And Walter Tapley gave you that chance and mentored you and without him you wouldn’t be where you are today?”

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GOSSIP GIRL
Forget the reveal of Serena’s shocking secret, the tornado of trouble that is Georgina Sparks, Eric’s unexpected trip out of the closet and Little J’s downfall. The real ‘OMFG!—worthy’ news is that for once, a television show has lived up to the marketing hype. Now the only question remains is how on earth will GOSSIP GIRL avoid the dreaded second season sophomore slump [try saying that five times fast]

NETWORK SCHEDULING
Here’s an idea for TV networks concerned with shrinking viewership. How about not putting all of your must see shows on two frakkin’ nights. Just how jam—packed are Monday and Thursday’s? ONE TREE HILL and SUPERNATURAL are officially being saved on this TV Addict’s PVR for the dark days known as summer rerun hell.

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THE GOOD: Thanks to the ideal balance of comedy, drama and intrigue, last night’s GREY’S ANATOMY continued it’s post-WGA strike string of phenomenal episodes [hence this week’s Entertainment Weekly cover story]. There was laughter thanks to George’s fake job as the ‘Chief’s Intern’ and McSteamy realizing that he’s become Seattle Grace’s equivalent of a sexual predator. Mystery, as fans were left wondering if Dr. Erica Hahn is or isn’t, umm… you know, a fan of ‘Ellen.’ And of course sadness courtesy of an emotional guest starring turn by Gay GI Joe and FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS alum Benny Ciaramello [Santiago] not to mention a mother trapped in a plastic bubble and Meredith clueing into the fact that McDreamy is her constant. In other words, GREY’S ANATOMY should be required viewing for all future and current television writers. Because unlike some other shows that have returned with less than stellar stories post—WGA strike, Shonda Rhimes and Co. keep hitting it out of the park.

THE BAD: Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for UGLY BETTY. Or as I’m calling last night’s episode — Just Ugly. I mean how many times do we have to see Daniel hit rock bottom? Or Marc and Wilhemina’ scheme fail? To borrow a line from the brilliant Stephen Colbert: BETTY, you’re officially on notice. And if you don’t start to deliver the goods, it’s adios muchachos come September 2008.

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THE OFFICE
Not only was spending the full twenty-two minutes at Dunder Mifflin Scranton a welcome change of pace from the recent over-the-top zany antics of Michael Scott. It gave the Dunder Mifflin denizens a welcome opportunity to shine. Stanley’s tour-de-force performance aside, anyone else curious as to what Phyllis the delinquent teenage vandal immortalized in cement all those years ago? Because you just know she was a wild child!

HOUSE
Even with the new team and the return of Cutthroat Bitch, this TV Addict can’t seem to get excited for HOUSE anymore. Is it just me, or are we watching virtually the same show each and every week? Diagnose, Snarky Comment, Cure, Repeat.

THE BIG BANG THEORY
As a stare blankly at my ridiculously large collection of Entertainment Weekly magazines [quite literally, almost every one], this recovering eBay Addict couldn’t help but laugh sympathize with Leonard, Sheldon, Wolowitz and Raj’s Time Machine predicament.

SMALLVILLE
It should come as no surprise that television’s most frustratingly uneven series relied on the tired and clichéd “It’s a Wonderful Life” plot contrivance for their very special 150th episode. Talk about your super lack of creativity.

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Last night’s phenomenal return of Kate Walsh to GREY’S ANATOMY was the best advertisement PRIVATE PRACTICE could have ever hoped for. Not only did Addison light the spark for the inevitable Meredith McDreamy reconciliation, not to mention get the ball rolling on Callie hooking up with Hahn, she reminded viewers of how good PRIVATE PRACTICE could be. Assuming creator Shonda Rhimes looks back at last night’s episode, remembers what a powerful force she has in Kate Walsh and doesn’t squander another season of PRIVATE PRACTICE by turning Addison into an obnoxious and insecure teenager. [Here’s hoping.]

After the remarkable season they’ve given us, this TV Addict is not about to seriously take LOSTerminds Damon Lindeloff and Carlton Cuse to task for last night’s underwhelming installment of LOST. But in TV terms, the Jack—centric adventure was clearly the classic “bottle” show. An episode meant to conserve funds for what will most likely be some very expensive episodes leading up to the super-sized season finale. Which I’m completely cool with, as long as fans start seeing dividends. And by dividends, I mean ANSWERS! You know, to little questions like, where the frak did Claire go? What’s the deal with Jack’s dad? And what favor is Kate doing for Sawyer? Yes Mr. Lindeloff and Cuse, it’s about time LOST started paying fans off for the four years we’ve invested into this time-sucking, maddeningly addictive show. [That we love. Really, keep up the great work!]

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I knew going in that last night was not going to be easy. Thanks to the recent WGA Strike — like any good athlete — this TV Addict was out of practice. One hour a night, two hours, heck even three on a good Monday. But six and half hours of television. It was a TV Addict’s Everest! And even for this self-proclaimed TV Addict, I wasn’t sure I could do it.

So I decided to get some back-up/moral support. Enter fellow TV blogger and local Torontonian TapeWorthy. Figuring at the very least we’d help each other through the ‘dark times,’ also know as commercials, TapeWorthy was more than happy to drop by TV Addict Central for a few hours. Bringing with him a TV Addict’s best friend, Popeyes [Cue Homer Simpson, “Mmmmm…. Chicken Strips”] for sustenance.

Unfortunately, the night didn’t start off on the right foot. UGLY BETTY was an ugly disappointment. Henry once again gets called away by a scheming Charlie leaving the far cooler Gio to pick up the pieces. And by pieces, I naturally mean Betty.

Which leads me to this question. Why is Betty still with Henry? Love triangles only work when one of the lovers isn’t totally lame. And I’m sorry to inform all you Betty/Henry [or is it ‘Benry’] shippers out there — Betty/Henry is no Ross/Rachel. In other words, the entire series should not be built around their snooze-inducing relationship.

UGLY BETTY works best, and by best, I mean it’s at its funniest and most entertaining when Betty is at Mode, your classic fish out of water. Interacting with her hilarious foils Marc, Amanda, Daniel and Wilhelmina. It’s time to put the bitch back in Betty. Or, in this case Wilhelmeena back at Mode. Or this TV Addict may soon find himself shaving an hour off his busy Thursday night schedule.

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