Mark Feuerstein, bless him, can gravitate to his own brand of boyish affability regardless of the source material. He’s the definition of solid: as the producer of a low-rated news show in GOOD MORNING, MIAMI; as Toni Collette’s love interest in IN HER SHOES; as Sussana Thompson’s younger boyfriend on ONCE AND AGAIN; and as the Hamptons rent-a-doc on USA’s new dramedy (heavy on the “medy” part) ROYAL PAINS – the guy can’t help but be likable.

And perhaps that’s his problem. Too easily taken as “earnest,” he’s been playing the nice guy for far longer than merited. But what’s one more go, right?

Hank Lawson is an up and coming New York City physician who unintentionally botches his career and engagement to his fiancée after one of the trustees of the hospital he works at dies under his care. Jobless and morose, he stews in his underwear until his randy brother Evan (Paulo Costanzo, who is essentially playing the exact same character he played on JOEY), who conveniently doubles as his accountant, swoops in to break his rut with a weekend in the Hamptons.

Whilst attending a lavish mansion party, a girl falls ill, leaving Hank to save her. He catches the eye of the mysteriously gloomy and brooding mansion owner (Campbell Scott), who likens him as an on-call, under-the-radar medical attention that keeps his name out of the hospital and the press. His work makes waves throughout town, rolling crises after crises upon Hank, who mostly puts up a lame hesitance before he jets off to the rescue.

The pilot – running long at 75 minutes – meanders awhile on Hank’s trepidation with being a “concierge doctor,” and is all kinds of lazy. The premiere – helmed by Jace Alexander, who also directed the BURN NOTICE pilot – takes its time, slowly trotting out pans of castle-like beachfront properties and sparkling ocean waves. And when it comes time for action, it barely lifts a finger: Hank, having to work in peoples’ homes, is forced to use household items to treat patients. Like MCGYVER. And just like BURN NOTICE. His beautiful and exotic assistant Divya (Reshma Shetty) just appears rather than being introduced. His romantic pursuit of hospital administrator Jill (Jill Fint)? Forget it.

And yet it doesn’t really matter, does it? USA has been, since MONK I believe, a loyal preferred subscriber to breathlessly inoffensive programming with modest expectations and goals. ROYAL PAINS fits the bill, perfectly. It stands to be a nice, reliable hit for the network, which seems to have abandoned anything of narrative heft in the past few years (shed a tear for the dearly departed 4400, which was like Heroes’ first season all the time) in favor of characters with marketable personalities. (If doesn’t manage to take off? Then it just finishes its run, and goes away, to be forgotten and replaced with something equally innocuous.) And why not? Isn’t there a saying for trying to fix what isn’t broken? Grade: C+

ROYAL PAINS premieres tonight at 10PM on USA Network

In anticipation of Friday’s season premieres of both PSYCH and MONK, USA Network has been kind enough to offer up not one, but TWO fantastic PSYCH/MONK DVD Prize Packs! To enter to win, simply leave a comment answering the following question: Who are you hiring to solve a crime, Monk or the members of the Psych agency? Two winners will be chosen at random on July 29, so be sure to leave a comment with a valid email address.

Winners will receive:
• Psych Season 1 on DVD
• Monk Season 4 on DVD
• Psych Pineapple Stress Toy
• Psych Coffee Mug
• Monk Bobblehead

Psych & Monk are back this Friday, July 18th on USA Network!

MONK, the critically acclaimed original series starring Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG award winner Tony Shalhoub premieres its seventh season on USA Network on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 9/8c. Emmy-winning and Golden Globe-nominated character actor Hector Elizondo will portray Dr. Neven Bell in the seventh season as Adrian Monk’s (Shalhoub) much-needed therapist. Join others on the official fan page on Facebook or visit monk.usanetwork.com.

PSYCH, USA Network’s hit original series starring James Roday (”The Dukes of Hazzard”), Dulé Hill (”The West Wing”) and Corbin Bernsen (”Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” “L.A. Law”), will kick off its third season with all new cases on USA Network on Friday, July 18, 2008 at 10/9c. Golden Globe winner and Emmy nominated TV legend Cybill Shepherd joins the cast as Gus’ mom. Join others on the official fan page on Facebook or visit psych.usanetwor

Good News: IN PLAIN SIGHT opened to a whopping 5.3 million viewers, USA’s best series bow since the second season premiere of the 4400 in 2005. Bad News: Which means fellow TV Addicts can expect even more generic dramas featuring female cop/lawyer/doctor protagonists that play by her own rules. [Source]

Good News: TERMINATOR, PUSHING DAISIES, FRINGE, CHUCK, HEROES and THE OFFICE Scribes [rumored] are all said to be presenting panels at this Summer’s Comic Con in San Diego. Bad News: Odds are good that they’ll all be on the same day, so you should probably start lining up right now. No really. It’s going to be madness!

Good News: This TV Addict has been lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the new online portal for theWB.com. Bad News: EVERWOOD and JACK & BOBBY are thus far no where to be found.

Good News: Michael Ausiello’s Senior Editor position has yet to be filled at TVGuide. Bad News: Clearly, TVGuide’s Editor-in-Chief Christy Tanner does not have her name set as a Google Alert and has completely missed my quasi-shameless campaign

Hoping to replicate the success of BURN NOTICE and PSYCH, this Sunday, USA Network premieres their latest sizzling summer drama IN PLAIN SIGHT.

Unfortunately, what sounds like a great concept on paper — Mary McCormack [THE WEST WING] playing a US Marshall tasked with protecting those unfortunate souls in the Federal Witness Protection Program — falls flat. Because creators David Maples and Paul Stupin apparently haven’t met a cop cliché they didn’t like.

Not only is McCormack’s Mary Shannon a [surprise!] tough as nails US Marshall, she’s saddled with a partner who has a snappy comeback for every situation [Fred Weller], a boyfriend who doesn’t ‘get’ the job [Cristián de la Fuente] and worst of all, a needlessly tacked on family subplot revolving around a flaky mom [admittedly played to perfection by Lesley Ann Warren] and a ditzy, blonde down-on-her-luck sister [Nichole Hiltz].

That said, what the show does have going for it — aside from the fact that it’s airing in the summer when virtually nothing else of interest is on — is the fact that the Federal Witness Protection Program conceit offers up some very exciting guest star opportunities. Coming episodes will have our protagonists cross paths with the likes of Dave Foley [NEWSRADIO], Percy Daggs III [VERONICA MARS] and Sherry Stringfield [ER]. Ensuring IN PLAIN SIGHT remains on our radar for at least a few more weeks.

IN PLAIN SIGHT Premieres Sunday June 1 at 9PM on USA Network and June 17 on Canada’s GLOBAL TV

Recently, theTVaddict.com Senior Editor Amrie Cunningham was given the fantastic opportunity to attend the USA UpFronts. Enjoy the second in her series of interviews with the stars of the USA Network. [The first being Amrie's interview with MONK star Tony Shaloub]

By: Amrie Cunningham [My Take on TV]

Last interview of the evening was with the beautiful Gabrielle Anwar, Fiona on USA’s hit show BURN NOTICE. She was fun, and sassy, and so much more than just another one of your average breathtaking women in Hollywood (though breathtaking is the word I’ve used to describe her, for sure). Everything she had to say, she had a sense of joy in her words, she was so happy to be talking about the show, promoting it, and being able to spent time with press and fans who wanted to hear her stories.

One of my favorite movies of all times is WILD HEARTS CAN’T BE BROKEN, and it was just on TV like a week ago, so I figured that was a good sign!
Gabrielle: I like signs! It’s totally a good sign. I think that was the most fun I ever had on a movie.

Of course we’re not here to talk about that haha! BURN NOTICE was one of my favorite shows last year – how did the role of Fiona come to be?
Same old, same old. I was sent the script and it was actually damn good. I actually finished it and I begged my manager to get me in the room, which is pretty much the story of my career in the last 7-10 years.

It seems to have worked.
I’ve been very blessed.

Do we know yet how or if season 2 will be different?
I have absolutely no idea. I’m in the dark. I’m actually traveling back to Miami on the weekend. They start shooting on the 25th of April. I have to unpack my thong.

What’s your take on Fiona? Does she have something perhaps a little more sinister going on?
I only have my own imagination which is unfortunately lucid and endless, so perhaps she may. I don’t know. I would like to think that she’s not the book by cover with we may judge her, if that makes sense.

THE TUDORS and BURN NOTICE are such different shows; is there something you prefer doing more – the drama or the comedy?
I enjoy being able to translate what’s on the written page into something tangible. And if it isn’t on the page then I suck. [Laughs.] Believe me, it’s true. I have plenty of proof. I don’t really tend to gravitate toward any specific genre. I just love to read something that’s been well-executed in its writing. And that doesn’t happen very often, unfortunately.

Is there a perfect role that you haven’t gotten to play, what kind of character would it be?
I am enjoying playing Fiona. I think that she’s multi-dimensional. I think there’s an element of authenticity to the woman that she is. I think she embodies the multiple personalities that make up a woman quite nicely. I don’t know. I mean, I think that the perfect role would have to become something that would metamorphasis as a woman that changes. What I may suggest today may not be relevant in a week.

I’d imagine working with Bruce Campbell is hilarious. Is the set as much fun as it seems?
Bruce is ridiculously funny. It is a tremendous of fun. I’m having way too much fun. The sh*t is going to hit the fan and something terrible is going to happen.

If BURN NOTICE goes on for four or five more years, do you picture yourself sticking with it?
If I don’t piss Jeffrey Donovan off.

Is there anyone that you haven’t worked with that you haven’t worked with?
God, yeah. I mean, I haven’t worked with anyone I want to work with [laughs all around].

Are you into other spy movies?
It’s not my thing. I don’t understand. I don’t understand how the gadgets work, the storylines – I don’t understand anything about a spy movie. I drive my friends crazy. If we go to a spy movie, halfway through I’m like, ‘Who’s he?! What are they doing? Where did she come from? How did they open the door with that?’

Is there any research you had to do for your character?
I open another bottle [laughs] Can you use any of these answers? Actors like to talk, don’t they? [laughs all around].

Do you do your own stunts on the show?
Some of them.

Do you have to do any sort of training?
I’m addicted to Yoga. But not ‘Om Shanty Shanty’ yoga. I do hardcore ’sh*t that hurts my butt cheeks’ yoga. Jeffrey is black belt, twice. Can you do that twice? I don’t understand that either. He knows what he’s doing. I don’t. Because of the costumes that I find myself in, I do a smidgen of yoga every day. I a fondness for a new kind of yoga called YogaHop, which only happens in Santa Monica in California. We’ll have to satellite it in while I’m in Miami. It’s insane. It’s different in that one might call it blasphemous if one is a true Yogi. You’re not in a posture without like bumping around and shimmying. I have a tendency to burst into song halfway through, it’s so damn loud. But it’s exciting. To get me into a gym is probably the most difficult feat in the world. So, something that is inspiring and, to some degree or other, spiritual and gets rid of cellulite, what’s wrong with that? There’s no harm in it.

Do you have anything coming up besides BURN NOTICE?
I do, I have a little role in a film called Driving Lessons with Hope Davis and Dermot Mulroney which is really funny. I’m not that funny, but the film is funny. [Editor’s Note: I find it hard to believe that she would even remotely think she’s not funny. I laughed throughout the entire interview!]

I’m having trouble concentrating with the loud music. [Seriously, we were standing in front of speakers that were blasting for the whole Arts Club].
You should do a little YogaHop! I’m serious, it’s the only way.

What music do you do Yoga Hop to?
The teacher, his name is Matthew Reyes, he’s really a DJ / Yogi, so he will compile some of the most inspirational playlists. Nobody really wants to get going once they’re sitting on their mat. Next thing you know, you’re the contortions that your body never even new existed. But because of the music, it’s fun and just keep going. And by the end of the class, you’re dead, like you’re supposed to be at the end of Yoga. You’re in a transcendental state, it’s like a really fabulous drug trip, but you get really fit doing it instead of f***ed up.

What would you be doing if you weren’t acting?
Shit. What would I be doing? I would probably doing the drug trips and not staying fit.

Do you enjoy shooting in Miami?
I do. Having grown up in Europe and shooting a lot in Eastern Europe, Miami is truly quite luxurious. It’s very indulgent. I’m a big fan of the tropical weather. I’ve just discovered Coconut Grove, which is much more my thing than South Beach. I’m past the age of the all-night parties and getting to set in the morning and not looking like a donkey. Coconut Grove is a little slower. Joni Mitchell lived there. So it’s good enough for me.

Is there anything else you want fans to know?
I don’t have anything on my lips. My daughter tells me that I have horrible things written about my lips, my leathery skin, and my tits. So, I don’t know, whatever. My lips look big because I over-line them with lip liner because I want to look like Angelina Jolie. My skin is leathery because I love the sun and I’m not as vain as I am in love with the sun. And my tits got really big because I had a baby and then they got really small and then they got really big again because I had another baby and then they got really small and then they got really big again because I had another baby and then they got really small. You know what? It’s called aging. So, I guess that would be nice to clarify.

I had a great time in Chicago, and I look forward to the next time USA throws a party, because they know how to do it!

We all have Upfronts on the brain this week, as we sit and get ready to hear what’s happening on some of our favorite networks. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend USA Network’s Upfront presentation in Chicago. The number one cable network last year, USA has plans to build on that, and only get better as the years continue. They are wisely bringing back their two breakout hits from last season – the charming miniseries THE STARTER WIFE (now a weekly series, airing in early fall) and BURN NOTICE (which starts season 2 in July). Network anchors MONK and PSYCH were no-brainer pickups, both coming back with new episodes in July. MONK will air its 100th episode this summer! I also had the chance to see some clips and previews from USA’s latest offering, IN PLANE SIGHT, starring Mary McCormack about Witness Protection Marshalls in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It fits the USA mold and I think it’s going to be another addicting show (look for an interview with creator and executive producers as we draw nearer to the premiere).

While at the intimate cocktail party that they threw for their advertisers, I had the chance to meet and chat with Corbin Bernsen from PSYCH, Tony Shalhoub from MONK, Gabrielle Anwar from BURN NOTICE (and most importantly from WILD HEARTS CAN’T BE BROKEN, the amazing movie from the early 90s), as well as recent Wrestelmania competitor Maria, one of the WWE’s DIVAS. Not only were they some of the most upbeat and friendliest celebrities that I’ve had the chance to meet, they all genuinely seem thrilled to be a part of this continually-growing network.

I know we have fans of MONK that visit this site (me being one of the most hardcore of them all), so imagine my delight at getting time to chat with Tony Shalhoub. He’s soft spoken and gracious, and probably everything you think he would be, and more. We got the chance to talk about MONK, what the future holds, the 100th episode, and who he still hasn’t had the chance to work with.

My dad calls me Monk, so this is a dream realized. Ha!
Tony Shalhoub: Does he really? [laughs]

After doing the show for so long, how do you keep the role fresh and interesting?
I have to say that it’s the writers that keep it new and fresh. They just keep throwing us curve balls and things that we never would have imagined. In a way, though, I think, it sort of becomes an exercise in rule-breaking. All TV shows have sort of what they call a “show bible” – certain things that you do or never do – and what we’ve learned to do now over 6 seasons, is to see that it isn’t really a bad thing to break your own rules. Somehow, the audience goes along with it. It’s risky at times but when it works, it works beautifully.

Have you found yourself become more aware of obsessive compulsions that you have? Or like fears or phobias?
I don’t really have huge phobias. Being in the mind set of Monk, I do start to think about things in my everyday life that could really trouble me. I was recently at a restaurant and it struck me that the menu was probably really filthy. They probably don’t really wash them and many, many people handle them and they’re like touching their mouths. Now, what I do is I look at the menu, and then I order, and THEN I go wash my hands. [Editor’s Note: Can anyone guess what my newest obsessive compulsion is? Thanks Tony!]

Do you get a lot of fan response when you’re out in public??People seem to really love it. What’s really gratifying about it is that it crosses a lot of demographics. Young people like it. Middle-aged people like it. Older people are always saying to me “I love the show because I can watch it with my grandchildren. We all enjoy it on our own level and it doesn’t talk down to kids or us.” That’s the best part of it.

Do you envision an endpoint??I had six years on my original contract, which we just finished. I re-upped for seven and there could be an eight but that’s really up to the network. It depends on a lot. I could definitely do one more after this one. If the writers can do it, I can do it. We’re coming up on our 100th show. We’re going to shoot that in July.

Do you ever have ideas for your character??One of my favorite episodes, not just because of that. I pitched an idea, and what they did was amazing, they really fleshed it out. It was an episode we did in Season Two, called “Mr. Monk Takes His Medicine,” where his shrink prescribes medication for his OCD. It’s the wrong prescription and it has a personality altering affect, but Monk feels better. But he’s unable to do his job as well as he could. That was my idea. I think I’m doing for another one, don’t you think? [laughs]

You have such a varied career. What makes you go back to theatre??I was trained in the theatre. It’s kind of how I always imagined, I always imagined I would have a life in the theatre. I never really set out to do film and television. It wasn’t part of the original half-baked plan. Also, I think it’s really good for actors to perform in a live venue. I think it’s a whole different discipline. I’ve been lucky. I’ve been able to do television, film, and theatre, alternately. I’m blessed.

Is there anyone that you’re dying to work with that you haven’t worked with yet?
A million people. Martin Scorsese, I would love to work with. Meryl Streep, I would love to work with. Al Pacino, I would love to work with. I met him a few times and I’ve done table reads with him. Oh my God. There are so many great people that I probably will never get to all of them.

I’m curious to hear what you think about how cable has changed since [your last long running series] WINGS?
It’s really all about cable and the onslaught started by networks like HBO and Showtime, original series giving people an alternative to what sort of became in a way predictable. Because they were allowed to do edgier and riskier things on cable, they really started to give the networks a run for their money. They became kind of an equalizer. At first, nobody took cable that seriously, and now networks are starting to fear the onslaught. But it’s good. It’s healthy. It’s also been good for a lot of people like writers, directors, and actors who worked exclusively in features because the feature market has started to dwindle a little in terms of the number of large films made. A lot of those people have gravitated towards TV and cable has absorbed a lot of those people. It’s been healthy. It’s created more of a competitive environment all around.

Do watch TV in your downtime?
Not much. Not because I don’t like it but because I’m busy. When I watch something, I have a hard time watching it and just enjoying it. I’m looking at is a producer. I’ve been a producer on Monk for six years and I’m always thinking to myself, why did they use that cut? What’s with this angle, or oh, I wish I thought of that. I’m not really following much. I’m kind of watching it with a different set of eyes.

Do you think there’s a bit more creative freedom with USA? Would MONK have been different on another network?
Yeah, I think it would have been different. You know, Monk was at ABC for years, in semi-development. I think if it had been on a network, it would have had a different gloss and the emphasis would have been somewhat different. At the time MONK started, USA was in the process of reinventing itself. A lot of executives were leaving and new people were coming in and they were trying to find their new identity. So, we were very fortunate that they decided to do Monk and promote it really well and market it really well and give it time to build.

In the coming season, are we going to see more of what happened to Trudy, or why it happened to Trudy? Or will it always be something that sort of comes up here and there?
I think we will try to start. Everyone has the sense that we’re approaching the end, whether it’s this season or season eight, we definitely, we gotta wind it down. And I think the writers, in their heads, are starting to move towards that.

Do you have any film projects coming up?
I have a film in the can that I co-produced and also acted in. It’s a story of Arab Americans, Muslim-Americans post 9-11. Arab-American community in LA. I play a Jewish American business man, partnering up in business with a Muslim man. It’s kind of like, for lack of a better parallel, sort of like a “Do the Right Thing” sort of movie. We’re very, very proud of it. It has distribution for cable.

What would you be doing if you weren’t acting?
I’d be homeless.

Did you have that moment, “I knew I wanted to be an actor?” type place?
Yeah, when I was very young, I was watching television. This is at a time when there weren’t VCRs and if a movie came up on TV, it came up once every two or three years. And I saw a film version of a play called A Thousand Clowns. The play was written by Herb Gardner and the actor who did it on stage, on Broadway, did the film, too. It was Jason Robards. I saw this movie and I knew that it was a play, it was shot like a play. It had such a tremendous impact on me. I was such a gigantic fan of Jason Robards. And I ended up actually…I did a movie, my first movie, called Quick Change and he was in that. A few years later I got a call from Herb Gardner, who I didn’t know, to do a play called Conversations With My Father. I got to work with my heroes.

What is your advice to young actors?
I would say that theatre is a great place to start. Do as much as you can. Try to vary your roles as much as you can. The best advice I ever got when I was a student was one word from an acting teacher – persevere. It’s really about showing up. You got to keep showing up. And you got to stay positive.