Party Down on DVD This Summer

With Glee providing the last major finale tomorrow night, the main TV season is most definitely over. And as much as the networks may talk about their 52-week schedules, we all know that summer TV, at least on the networks, is a bust. The benefit: more time to watch shows we somehow missed when they originally aired. Whether it's older shows you always meant to try (yes, I'm still working on The Wire) or new shows it's not too late to jump into, summer TV for me is all about the TV on DVD.

Or in this summer's case, TV on Wii. Thanks to Netflix adding Wii to their list of Netflix ready devices, I can now watch anything on Netflix's instant viewing section on my TV. Which is largely how I came to try Party Down, a show that premiered as one of Starz's first original programs a year ago and is currently on its second season, but few people seem to know about it. Despite big names in the cast and among the producers, it has remained very much below the radar.

Which is exactly why I'm recommending it for TV on DVD this summer. I got so hooked after starting I ended up watching all 10 episodes of the first season in just 2 days. So what is it? Well, it's basically The Office but set at an LA catering company comprised of wannabe actors, with each episode set during a different party. Though probably more the British version of The Office than the American one. And since it's on cable and is set in LA I'd toss in a little Extras, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Entourage. Think of the American version of a Ricky Gervais show and you're on the right track.

I was originally intrigued because one of the creator/producers is Rob Thomas, who previously created one of my all-time faves Veronica Mars. If you like Veronica Mars you'll definitely find a lot to like here, since a lot of Veronica Mars alums show up. Of the six regulars, four of them have some kind of Veronica Mars connection, as Ryan Hansen played Dick Casablancas, Ken Marino played Vinnie Van Lowe, and Adam Scott and Jane Lynch both guest starred. And more of their former castmates have guested here, including Kristen Bell (Veronica), Enrico Colantoni (Keith), Jason Dohring (Logan), and Alona Tal (Meg).

The rest of the cast is plenty accomplished as well. There's Jane Lynch, who has since left the show to become Sue Sylvester. Martin Starr, a Freaks and Geeks alum who stuck with the Apatow clan (and is probably best known as the beard guy from Knocked Up). And Lizzy Caplan, who you either know as Janis from Mean Girls or Jason's V-addicted girlfriend on True Blood (or both).

Anyway, I'll give imdb a rest and move on to the actual show. Ken Marino plays Ron, the David Brent/Michael Scott-like team leader of the catering crew who takes his job more seriously than anyone else there does and has the low-aiming dream of opening up his own chain soup restaurant. Adam Scott plays Henry, the Tim/Jim character whose greatest achievement as an actor was a beer commercial that gets him recognized everywhere but led him to quit acting. And Lizzy Caplan is Casey, the Dawn/Pam character, an aspiring stand-up comedian whose husband wants her to move to Vermont.

The party-of-the-week format allows for a ton of great guest stars (JK Simmons, George Takei, and Rob Corddry are a few more) as well as many different scenarios for hilarity. Some of my favorites: A college Republicans party in which the team manages to ruin the flag the students were planning to give to Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Hollywood sweet 16 where the birthday girl won't leave her room, a post-party for the porn awards, and a party for a Russian gangster who just got away with murder (but also recognizes everyone from their F-list acting jobs).

The show does have one major flaw though: it can't hold on to its cast. Jane Lynch leaves after the first 8 episodes to join Glee, which admittedly is an improvement for both Lynch and the world. Less acceptable is the news that Adam Scott will only be in three episodes in the third season due to his role in Parks and Recreation which is troubling for three reasons: 1. He's basically the main character on Party Down, 2. Party Down is a better show, and 3. Parks already has a large ensemble and doesn't really need him. That said, the producers' explanation that realistically catering tends to be a temporary job and people come in and out all the time makes sense. The show can survive it.

Far better news is that Netflix is able to stream the second season as each episode airs, so I can keep watching without having to wait for the DVDs. So if you're looking for something funny to watch this summer, give this a shot.

Want some more TV on DVD recommendations? Here you go!

Dexter - It's had four consistently great seasons, and with 24 and Lost over it is now the most addictive drama on TV.

Damages - It may or may not get a fourth year, but it's still got three crazy suspenseful seasons out there that I still can't believe more people didn't watch.

Glee & Modern Family - They were the breakout shows of this past season. If you haven't already, time to figure out why (these may not actually be on DVD).

True Blood - If you wished Twilight had a lot more nudity and was awesome instead of the stupidest thing ever, then this is for you.

Lost - You know you were secretly curious listening to your co-workers talk for hours about the finale. Go marathon all six seasons, and when you finish in two weeks we can talk.

Totally Re-Hooked on Damages

Well, we can add Damages to the list of shows I really shouldn't delay watching. At the very least, I should never ever read Entertainment Weekly's spoiler column unless I am 100% caught-up on every single show I watch. You'd think I'd learn by now. But just because the final twist was somewhat spoiled for me (and I'll delay discussing it until later in case you missed this SPOILER ALERT FOR ANYONE WHO HASN'T SEEN THE DAMAGES SEASON 3 PREMIERE) doesn't mean I wasn't able to enjoy an exciting premiere that got me immediately as hooked as I was in season 1.

In fact, there was a lot about the premiere that harked back to the original pilot. There was a Patty and Ellen face-off in a public bathroom. There was a successful attempt to get a witness to cooperate by harming what they love pretending to be the other side (thankfully this time the target was a motorcycle instead of a dog). And, of course, an ending revealing something not so nice 6 months in the future.

But unlike in Damages' first season, Arthur Frobisher was nowhere to be seen, as a whole new case is beginning. And unlike last year, where it took the writers awhile to get the case going, this week's episode put us right into it. Louis Tobin (Len Cariou) is a Bernie Madoff-like figure who screwed over a whole bunch of people in a Ponzi scheme. His family - wife Marilyn (Lily Tomlin), son Joe (Campbell Scott), and daughter-in-law Rachel (Reiko Aylesworth) - seem to be left with nothing, but Patty's not so sure. And this year she's pitted against Martin Short's Lenny, a Tom Hagen-like lawyer who's known the family forever.

A plot based on Bernie Madoff seems more like something for Law & Order than Damages (and L&O has already done it), but even one episode in it's clear this is just a starting point. In fact, Louis has the least screen time of all of the Tobins, as it's the question of how much the rest of the family knew that drives the season. So far, Joe seems legitimately clean. The good husband and father, trying to do the right thing. Which is how William Hurt seemed this time last season too. This is Damages; you know he's gonna turn out to be bad. We don't have to wait too long to see how, as by episode's end Louis reveals the hidden money exists. Think Joe will turn over the info to Patty? Not a chance.

Damages is known for its against-type casting - Ted Danson as a bad guy, Darrell Hammond doing drama - but this season goes a lot further by putting Tomlin and Short in dramatic roles. How are they doing? Too soon to tell. Neither is yet entirely convincing in their parts, but we don't know much about them yet. Short's been able to show some menace in his taking down of the reporter, so Lenny may very well be Patty's most formidable foe since Ray Fiske. And if Marilyn thinks Patty's "not too sharp," well, she's bound to be disappointed. As for Scott, he seems to be underplaying his part a la William Hurt last season. It didn't work out too well for him, but I think Scott will pull it off. And I'm always happy to see 24's Michelle Dessler back onscreen.

It's strange that I've gone this far and have barely mentioned Ellen, the clear main character for the first 2 seasons. But I don't think it's a coincidence that the "6 months later" flashforwards are for the first time all about Patty, not Ellen. This year Rose Byrne may actually belong in the supporting actress category she is continually nominated in, because Patty has emerged as the protagonist this year. Having left Hewes & Associates (now Hewes Shayes Associates) to work in the DA's office (for Angels in America's Ben Shenkman), Ellen's a bit out of the action so far. We know it won't last.

Lots of other intriguing developments. Keith Carradine pops up (following roles on Dexter and Dollhouse) as a potential romantic interest for Patty, but again, this is Damages, so he's got to be up to something shifty. The phone number Louis called on that fateful Thanksgiving night belonged a homeless man...who also appears in the flashforward....with the purse Patty gave Ellen.....what?

Finally, the ending, which perfectly mirrored the pilot in revealing the death of a major character, in this case Tom Shayes. I know this should seem like a shocking and daring decision, but it just feels like 24 syndrome to me. Ever since 24 killed Terri Bauer, seasonal character deaths have become almost mandatory for suspense shows. And as happened to 24 after it killed off its entire supporting cast in season 5, I worry it could hurt this show later on. Damages only has three continuous characters, with the rest of the cast changing every year. So without Tom, we're really just down to Patty and Ellen providing the show with any continuity.

On the other hand, this is an even bigger deal than David's death, and raises the stakes for the season all the higher. Knowing the case will ultimately take Tom's life (and apparently turn him into Howard Hughes?) makes this more than just a Wall Street thing, but the kind of high-suspense, high-risk case that Damages does best. And Tom finally has a big story and, presumably, more screentime for it. Last year the show took too long to get the case going and got bogged down in way too many characters and plot lines. This year there's a single main storyline and the stakes have already been made abundantly clear. All signs point to an addictive and unmissable season ahead.

TOP 10 TV SHOWS OF 2009

It may be 2010, but 2009, I'm not done with you yet. I've still got a few more movies to see before I can do my movie list, but here is my official list of the top 10 TV shows of 2009:

1. Glee

Not since Lost premiered in 2004 have I seen such instant devotion for a new series. From the extremely feel-good pilot last May to the immensely satisfying fall finale, Glee is easily the most enjoyable hour of TV in addition to the first successful musical program. I'd never claim it's objectively the best show on this list, with its myriad pregnancy issues and occasional cheesiness. But between the awesomeness that is Sue Sylvester and the joy of the musical numbers, I'm just having too much fun to care.

2. Dexter

It didn't seem like Dexter could ever top its first two seasons, but it at least came close this year with its most terrifying villain yet in John Lithgow's Trinity Killer. Dexter already had enough to deal with in his new marriage and newer baby while trying to remember where he stashed a recent kill. But Trinity made the drama all the sweeter, whether creating the most horrifying Thanksgiving dinner ever put to television or confronting Dexter eerily in his workplace. And in a year filled with big finales, Dexter wins for the most shocking and talked about ending.

3. Battlestar Galactica

I hope the Lost writers were taking notes, because this is how you end a show. BSG has disappointed me in the past by its regular midseason water treading, but this final season was just one big episode after another. Gaeta and Zarek's attempted coup made for two episodes of quality suspense, and the big cylon reveal episode downloaded a ton of information and answers into our brains without exploding them. But it was the pitch-perfect finale that cements its place on this list, giving the right amount of action, twists, answers, and closure we expect from a classic piece of sci-fi television. So say we all.

4. Lost

Lost's bump from the top isn't intended as a punishment, but it certainly did air its strangest season yet. The season's strongest episodes for me came at the beginning when the island jumped through time, giving glimpses of island history that put a lot of pieces together. But if the long sojourn in 1970s Dharmaville lacked the immediacy of other seasons, it did allow Sawyer to emerge as a hero and Juliet to provide him with the series' most believable romance. With the biggest clean slate of an ending the show's done yet, I don't know what the final year will bring, but I can't wait to find out.

5. Modern Family

At first glance, this so doesn't seem like a show I would watch. Why do I want to help bring back the family sitcom? Well, because it's the funniest thing on TV. With characters so instantly defined and developed, every gag's pay-off hits harder and the occasional "aww" moment works. The reason for all those Arrested Development comparisons isn't just for the dysfunctional family; it's cause that's the last time we laughed this hard.

6. Mad Men

Frustratingly and often infuriatingly, Mad Men loves the slow burn. It leaves you trudging through lame plots like Don's affair with the teacher and Betty's flirtation with the politician until you wonder why you're still watching. Then it slams you with three of the best episodes it's ever produced right at the end. From Don's emotional confession to Betty to the phenomenal JFK assassination episode to the massively entertaining caper of a finale, Mad Men earned its label as the best show on TV.

7. True Blood

I started watching True Blood over the summer, and it's easily the most fun thing to come out of HBO in a long time. Season 2 was where it went from cult fave to legitimate hit, through crazy storylines like a maenad who inspires orgies, a church that actively seeks to rid the world of vampires, and a 2000 year old vampire who looks like he's 13. The vampire craze may irritate me in almost every way imaginable, but this is one way I'm happy to indulge it.

8. Dollhouse

I'll admit upfront that Dollhouse is majorly uneven, to the point where even some hardcore Joss Whedon fans couldn't stick with it. They're missing out. Dollhouse not only has one of the coolest premises on TV, but a story that really kicked into gear with Alpha in season 1 and again with the fight against Rossum this season. With a cast that's finally starting to gel and a ridiculous amount of geek-friendly guest stars, it's a shame Dollhouse won't have the chance to become the great show it's proved more and more capable of being. But the accelerated finish sure makes these final episodes all the more riveting.

9. How I Met Your Mother

Having just hit its 100th episode in early 2010, HIMYM is showing some signs of aging, most notably with the not-so-satisfying handling of the brief Barney and Robin relationship. But the advantage of its experience is that the cast plays off each other so well that watching HIMYM really is like hanging out with your (cooler than real life) friends. I certainly wouldn't want the mother to stand in the way of my weekly trips to McLaren's.

10. Damages

In its second season, Damages got so complex that all these months later I couldn't try to tell you what happened. Something about a big company, GPS coordinates, shady FBI guys, and Darrell Hammond playing what seemed to be a gay Donald Trump. But no matter how crazy Damages gets, you can be sure of two things: Glenn Close will be fantastic, and the crazy plot twists will send your mind reeling and begging for more.

Honorable Mentions:

Better Off Ted - Which went from amusing to hilarious in its second season, and deserves a "Save This Show" campaign

30 Rock - Which may be uneven but continues to produce some very funny episodes

The Office - Which saw a huge quality comeback at the beginning of the season...only to sink back down again

Now for my TV awards:

Best Drama: Dexter

Runners-Up: Battlestar Galactica, Lost

Best Comedy: Glee

Runners-Up: Modern Family, How I Met Your Mother

Best New Show: Glee

Runners-Up: Modern Family, V

Best Actor, Drama: Michael C. Hall, Dexter

Runners-Up: Jon Hamm, Mad Men; Josh Holloway, Lost

Best Actress, Drama: Glenn Close, Damages

Runners-Up: January Jones, Mad Men; Mary McDonnell, Battlestar Galactica

Best Supporting Actor, Drama: John Lithgow, Dexter

Runners-Up: John Slattery, Mad Men; Michael Emerson, Lost

Best Supporting Actress, Drama: Jennifer Carpenter, Dexter

Runners-Up: Christina Hendricks, Mad Men; Olivia Williams, Dollhouse

Best Actor, Comedy: Matthew Morrison, Glee

Runners-Up: Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock; Danny McBride, Eastbound and Down

Best Actress, Comedy: Tina Fey, 30 Rock

Runners-Up: Toni Collette, The United States of Tara; Lea Michele, Glee

Best Supporting Actor, Comedy: Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother

Runners-Up: Ty Burrell, Modern Family; Eric Stonestreet, Modern Family

Best Supporting Actress, Comedy: Jane Lynch, Glee

Runners-Up: Portia de Rossi, Better Off Ted; Julie Bowen, Modern Family

TV Midseason Preview 2010

Hey everyone, happy New Year! I know we're already a few days into 2010, but for the first Zandervision post of the year I thought it would make sense to look ahead to all of the various TV show returns, season premieres, and new shows over the next few months. Many thanks to Entertainment Weekly for essentially already doing this, and if you're curious about a show I don't watch, go there.

Scrubs and Better Off Ted (January 5th, 8-10 PM, ABC)

These shows have been airing straight through the holidays, but starting Tuesday they begin doubling up to expedite the burning-off process. While Scrubs' likely cancellation may be for the best, Better Off Ted just keeps getting funnier. Maybe think about giving it a shot before it disappears for good?

Modern Family (January 6th, 9-9:30 PM, ABC)

The funniest new show of the season returns with Benjamin Bratt guest starring as Manny's father.

How I Met Your Mother (January 11th, 8-8:30 PM, CBS)

Not only is this the date that HIMYM returns, but it also marks its 100th episode with Rachel Bilson guest starring, the promise of actually seeing the mother, and best of all, a big musical number featuring the entire cast in suits.

30 Rock (January 14th, 9-10 PM, NBC)

30 Rock returns with two episodes in a row? I want to go to there.

Archer (January 14th, 10-10:30 PM, FX, NEW SHOW)

I missed the preview during the fall, but this animated comedy for adults from some Adult Swim writers is supposed to be well worth a look.

Project Runway (January 14th, 10-11 PM, Lifetime)

If it seems soon for another season of Project Runway, it's probably to wipe away our memories of last season's disaster. But since this time it's back in New York with all judges present, I'll give it at least a few episodes.

The Golden Globe Awards (January 17th, NBC)

The awards themselves don't mean much (if they gave Nine 5 nods they clearly don't watch the movies), but Ricky Gervais as host should make for an entertaining night.

Human Target (January 17th, 8-9 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)

A comic book based action show starring Mark Valley, Chi McBride, and Jackie Earle Haley. Sounds cool to me.

24 (January 17th & 18th, 9-11 PM & 8-10 PM, Fox)

Yes! Bauer is back, and this time in New York with a ton of new blood including Freddie Prinze Jr., Starbuck, Indian Regis Philbin from Slumdog Millionaire, and Bubba from Forrest Gump. Plus some old blood in Chloe, Renee, and President Taylor.

Life UneXpected (January 18th, 9-10 PM, The CW, NEW SHOW)

TV Guide Magazine calls it "Gilmore Girls meets Juno." Since it's about a teenager who becomes friends with her biological parents, if you like Gilmore Girls, you'll probably like this. Not my kind of show, but at least it's not yet another remake of something from the '90s

The Office (January 21st, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)

With the sale of Dunder Mifflin, maybe The Office will find yet another way to keep itself relevant in its 6th season. Just as long as they never do something like "Scott's Tots" ever again.

Dollhouse (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Not a return but an ending, as Dollhouse airs its series finale. Since the episode is titled "Epitaph 2," it looks like Echo and De Witt's fight against Rossum won't stop the eventual apocalypse, but we may find out what happens to everyone after tech takes over.

Caprica (January 22nd, 9-11 PM, SyFy, NEW SHOW)

If you want to get a headstart on this prequel series to Battlestar Galactica, you can catch the two-hour pilot on DVD. Having just watched it, I can say it's nowhere up to BSG quality yet and is a lot slower paced, but I still found enough cool and intriguing stuff here to want to check out the show. Seems appropriate to be premiering the night Dollhouse ends, since I could certainly use something to fill the sci-fi void.

Spartacus (January 22nd, 9-10 PM, Starz, NEW SHOW)

This attempt to essentially turn 300 into a TV show is probably far too silly for my taste, but if the idea of Lucy Lawless doing something somewhat back in the Xena realm sounds exciting, this is the show for you.

Damages (January 25th, 10-11 PM, FX)

Heading into its third season, Damages is looking to be just as complex and crazy as ever. This time the case centers on a Bernie Madoff like figure (played by original Sweeney Todd Len Cariou) and his wacky family, including wife Lily Tomlin, son Campbell Scott, and secret keeper Martin Short, in an attempt to go serious. If nothing else, Damages always wins for creative casting.

Lost (February 2nd, 9-11 PM, ABC)

Beginning its final season, Lost is easily my most anticipated return of all of 2010. Since the writers say even a single clip would give away everything, all I can say about season 6 is that Claire's back, a bunch of dead people guest star, and it's going to be awesome.

Parenthood (March 1st, 9-10 PM, NBC)

Originally slated for the fall, Parenthood intrigued me then and still does now that Lauren Graham's starring. Though does that mean I need to see the movie?

Gossip Girl (March 8th, 8-9 PM, The CW)

Why such a long break mid-season? Hopefully the writers are taking their time to come up with something good to close the season, because Dan's threesome and Tripp's bug-eyes certainly don't count. And no, neither does bringing Chuck's mom back from the dead.

V (March 30th, 10-11 PM, ABC)

It's looking like a massive ratings drop is inevitable given ABC's idiotic decision to take a long break after airing the initial four episodes. But if you keep watching, the mistake doesn't have to be fatal.

Glee (April 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox)

Another mind-bogglingly long mid-season wait, but the promise of Sue Sylvester singing and dancing makes it worthwhile. The bigger problem will be what to watch first now that Glee and Lost share a timeslot.

Catching Up With Damages

Yes, I know the Damages season finale aired almost a month ago, but I just got around to watching it. Since it's been so long, I won't go into a full recap, but I did want to write about Damages' second season, because if I don't, who will? It doesn't get regular recaps on TVGuide or Entertainment Weekly, and its finale didn't get nearly the media attention far lesser shows get.

Now, part of how I got behind was because while Damages' second season was still awesome, it suffered a fairly typical sophomore season curse: overambition. When I heard they managed to get names like William Hurt and Marcia Gay Harden in the regular cast, I already worried there wouldn't be room for everyone. Then they added Darrell Hammond and The Wire's Clarke Peters and John Doman as well.

It only gets more complicated when you look at the multiple major plotlines this season. While season 1 was completely centered around the Frobisher case, this season the UNR case was almost an afterthought, with little progress made going into the finale. After all, there was little room for UNR when the FBI investigation and the aftermath of the Frobisher case were taking equal time. This season was quite the juggling act.

But despite all of that, I've gotta say that Damages pulled it all together in this crazy, twist-filled, and pretty fantastic finale. I can't say I understand exactly how each step of Patty's plan fit together, or why everyone did what they did, but the way the finale pieced together all the disparate flashforwards to bring all three plots together was something beautiful. And it even ended in a way that a season 3 seems possible, which I never would have believed an hour beforehand.

I still think the Frobisher and Detective Messer stuff was probably too much for this season to handle. And it would have been nice if UNR had ended up being more central (Kendrick's arrest was hardly the biggest triumph, and Maddox wasn't even in the episode). But while these flaws may keep season 2 from topping season 1, the show still has some of the best storytelling on TV, and it will be high on my top 10 list this year. So for the vast majority of the country not yet watching: time to start. You don't want to be behind come season 3.

Strangest Casting of the Week

This week, Damages introduced a new character, a shady fellow behind the death of Daniel Purcell's wife. This in itself is not news; Damages is filled with shady people who plan hits for corporate types. What is news is that this character is played by Darrell Hammond.

For those that don't recognize the name, you know his face. Hammond has been on Saturday Night Live for, wow, nearly 15 years. In that time, he's done a ton of classic impersonations, including Sean Connery, Al Gore, John McCain, and Bill Clinton (as seen above). Yet beyond the odd Law and Order episode (a requirement of all New Yorkers. I suspect I may inadvertently have played the neighbor of a pedophile at some point), this seems to be his first shot at drama.

So how's he doing? His character kind of seems like a gay version of his Donald Trump impression. Now, that type of oddball character would have fit in perfectly on Twin Peaks, but for Damages it's a bit strange. His presence is more distracting than anything else, since I keep expecting him to go, "Shuck it Purcell. Shuck it long and shuck it hard." But the character's not going anywhere for now, so I'm sure he'll end up making the season more interesting.

As for the rest of the episode (SPOILERS):

Big episode overall, what with Purcell's wife's killer being caught and killed and Purcell getting cleared. But it really all comes down to the ending. Just as he did ten years before, Purcell threw his testimony, leaving Patty with bupkis. I knew the man who fathered Michael "Planting Fake Bombs in My Stepdad's Car Is Fun" Hewes had to be a weasel. Dumping out the water sample Ellen smuggled out of a town not unlike the one from My Cousin Vinny is a real setback. At least Tom got some Mr. Pibb for the trouble.

Still, committing perjury and destroying evidence for a big pay-out is one thing. The reveal that Purcell was in on his wife's murder after all? Craziness. That creepy cop was right - we shouldn't believe a word that comes out of Purcell's mouth. He's definitely hiding more, and as soon as Patty finds out, he's going down.

Damages Makes Lying Fun

If you don't yet watch Damages, you might not want to jump in with season 2. The Frobisher case may be over, but its effects are still very much present, as are the characters who died last season. With a show this twisty, missing even a moment can leave you behind. So go out and find season 1 on dvd. It's so addictive you'll be caught up in no time.

Now on to the season 2 premiere, which had me hopelessly addicted again within minutes. There was a ton going on in the premiere, but it somehow set up the season well without feeling overcrowded. The episode starts with a flashforward 6 months in the future. Was anybody else thinking Kill Bill as Ellen coolly talked to someone offscreen while twirling around a gun? Just like last season, this future subplot makes a great mystery. We get to spend all season guessing who Ellen shot in that final scene. Obvious guesses would be Patty or Frobisher, but there's no way the show is killing off Patty, and I'm not liking Frobisher for it either. My money's on Wes (Timothy Olyphant), her new counseling friend, but more on him later.

6 months earlier, Regis and Kelly make for fun cameos when Patty goes on their show to plug her charity group. The charity plot allowed for a classic Patty Hewes manipulation. When Sam Arsenault (James Naughton) withdrew his funding for Patty's venture, you knew she would strike back. And when his Yale-bound daughter popped in with a mention of Patty's sociopathic son Michael, it was easy enough to see where this was going. But best was Patty making Arsenault double his funding to get his name on, even though the project was DOA without him. Way to go, Patty. Speaking of Michael, I still think he was up to something sketchy the night Ellen was attacked. He's hiding something.

Meanwhile, Ellen tries to get over fiancee David's death and the attempt on her own life by alternating between forgiveness and revenge, per Wes' suggestion. Counseling may not have helped her too much, but it did introduce her to Wes, who knows how to get a gun without a permit. Might that phone number be used against him, say, 6 months in the future? After Wes brings up the exact date the man who killed his girlfriend gets out of prison, Ellen takes a trip down to Frobisher's hospital, posing as his wife. Seeing him all beardy and sad, she leaves him in peace.

No forgiveness for Patty, who Ellen wants to "destroy" with the FBI. By feeding Patty a set-up case and wearing a (phone) wire, Ellen gets to play like Sydney from early Alias, double agenting at SD-6. But I'm always wary of plots that go against the premise of a show. There is no Damages without Ellen working for Patty, so how is this supposed to end? Investigations last years, so maybe this will just become a permanent part of the show? Will Ellen decide to stick with Patty and stop cooperating? Or (my guess) will the FBI drop the investigation (leading Ellen to get her own revenge 6 months later?) Whatever the outcome, all of the season 1 baggage gives Ellen a lot more to work with then her naive young lawyer act from season 1, letting actress Rose Byrne hold her own among the movie and TV heavyweights around her.

Speaking of movie stars, William Hurt's Danny Purcell made his debut as the man to bring Patty this season's big case. We don't really know what his evil company was doing wrong, but the presence of Goodwin from Lost is enough to insure it's really bad. Guess it's just a small jump from bedding Juliet to killing people's wives. According to IMDB, Purcell's wife also played April in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies, so it's all the sadder to see her strangled at home, a la Katie Connor's dog in the pilot. Playing against type, Hurt looks like he could make as big a splash this year as Ted Danson as Frobisher did last season. And it will be fun to see exactly what relationship Purcell and Patty had that makes her unhappy to share a car with him (definitely exes of some sort). Consider me intrigued.

I expected all the new characters, but I was surprised how many old ones are back. Obviously Ellen, Patty, and Tom are here to stay (and Uncle Pete, of course), but it's interesting that Frobisher is still a full-fledged regular. Keeping a popular character around too long can sometimes hurt a show when he doesn't connect to the rest. But as long as Ellen's seeking revenge for David, it seems he has a place. The bigger surprise was seeing Anastasia Griffith (who plays Katie Connor) listed as a regular. With brother David and ex-lover Gregory Molina both dead, I don't know what role she has to play (maybe she's who Ellen kills in the future?). Even dead Ray Fiske got to come back from the dead to haunt Patty.

With evil company lawyer Marcia Gay Harden not even introduced yet, there's clearly a lot going on in Damages this year. Damages has always been more of a thriller than a legal show, like 24 with JDs. If the season can hold up the quality of this commercial-free premiere, it may be the most suspenseful show to air in 2009.

Midseason Preview

2009 may have just begun, but the TV midseason isn't wasting time, beginning on January 5th. I'll help you figure out when my favorite returning shows come back and what new shows may be worth considering.

Gossip Girl (January 5th, 8-9 PM, the CW)
When we last saw the Upper East Siders, Chuck was a mess over his father's death. This week introduces his Uncle Jack, played by Desmond Harrington (Quinn from Dexter). Elsewhere, Jenny finally goes back to school, but no word on whether she'll start looking human again.

Scrubs (January 6th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
Now on ABC, Scrubs is back for its (probably) final season, starting with two episodes. The season starts with Courtney Cox as the new Chief of Medicine and, judging by the promos, awkward facial hair for JD. There's also a Hawaiin wedding for Janitor later this season.

Nip/Tuck (January 6th, 10-11 PM, FX)
At the end of last season, Sean was stabbed by his crazy fake-publicist Colleen Rose and Julia was shot by her girlfriend's crazy daughter Eden and was left with amnesia. Eden should hopefully be gone, given that her portrayor (Annalynne McCord) is now on 90210, but Colleen is definitely back. No word on how long they'll continue the never-successful amnesia device, but don't expect a creative comeback anytime soon.

Top Chef (January 7th, 10-11 PM, Bravo)
Season 5 returns with new judge Toby Young (author of How to Lose Friends and Alienate People), and two chefs will be eliminated.

Damages (January 7th, 10-11 PM, FX)
Damages tries to top season 1 with a boatload of top-tier new cast members like William Hurt, Marcia Gay Harden, and Timothy Olymphant. After settling the Frobisher (Ted Danson) case, Patty Hewes (Glenn Close) is moving on. When a whistle blower (Hurt) tells of her of shady practices coming from his company, it seems she's got her next case. Meanwhile, Ellen (Rose Byrne) works with the FBI to bring Patty down, and Frobisher survives his shooting to come back for more mischief.

30 Rock (January 8th, 9:30-10 PM, NBC)
30 Rock continues to become the next Will & Grace by having Salma Hayek and Peter Dinklage both guest star.

Grey's Anatomy (January 8th, 9-10 PM, ABC)
The surgeons have to work on a death row inmate, and it's not even a sweeps month? What are they saving up for February, an operation on Ghost Denny? Also, Jessica Capshaw joins the cast as a pediatric surgeon and a romantic interest for Callie (since she hasn't had enough this season).

24 (January 11th and 12th, 8-10 PM, Fox)
As it has the last two seasons, 24 will begin with a two-night, four hour premiere to kick things in motion. These year-old episodes see Jack on trial in DC for his actions after CTU has been shut down. But he gets off when the government needs him to stop Evil Back-From-the-Dead Tony Almeida from his terrorist activities. Also, there's a Lady Prez.

How I Met Your Mother (January 12th, 8:30-9 PM, CBS)
Reality stars taunt Marshall from a magazine, as they do to us all. Ted and Robin become friends with benefits. That should last about as long as it did for Jerry and Elaine.

The Office (January 15th, 9-9:30 PM, NBC)
I don't have an episode description, but expect fall-out over Phyllis telling the office about Dwight and Angela.

Battlestar Galactica (January 16th, 10-11 PM, Sci-Fi)
In the final season, Earth has been found, but now what? Will they try to live on that post-apocalyptic planet? Will the human/Cylon truce hold? And who is the last frakking Cylon?

Big Love (January 18th, 9-10 PM, HBO)
I still haven't seen season 2, so I got nothing on season 3. But this is when it premieres.

Flight of the Conchords (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, HBO)
You could wait until January 18th to see Bret and Jermaine's newest adventures. Or you could go to Funnyordie.com and watch it now.

The United States of Tara (January 18th, 10-10:30 PM, Showtime, NEW SHOW)
Toni Collette (The Sixth Sense) plays a woman with multiple personality disorder. John Corbett (Sex and the City, Lucky) plays her husband. Steven Spielberg's producing. Diablo Cody (Juno) wrote the pilot. With all those big names and Showtime's recent hot streak (Weeds, Dexter), this is certainly worth checking out. But it is paired with the ultra-dull Secret Diary of a Call Girl, so who knows.

Lost (January 21st, 9-11 PM, ABC)
After a year of waiting, it's finally here. Lost is back. Season 5 will find Jack and Ben getting the Oceanic Six back together to return to the island while we learn just what "bad things" happened to those who stayed on the island. Those who have already seen the premiere say the new time-jumping device makes flashforwards seem like child's play. They also say it's awesome.

Lie to Me (January 21st, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
Tim Roth (Pulp Fiction, The Incredible Hulk) plays a human lie detector that heads some special FBI agency. Is this just a lame procedural a la The Mentalist? Too early to tell, but it could be fun to see Tim Roth on TV.

Trust Me (January 26th, 10-11 PM, TNT, NEW SHOW)
If you've watched TNT at all in the last month, you've surely seen tons of ads for this new show in which Tom Cavanaugh (Ed) gets a new boss: his best friend, played by Eric McCormick (Will of Will & Grace). I have yet to get into TNT's other original shows (The Closer, Saving Grace), but the leads seem likable enough to make me want to give this one a try.

Heroes (February 2nd, 9-10 PM, NBC)
After season 3 got bogged down in too many characters and too little logic, why am I still watching this show? Well, cause season 4 looks kind of cool. After Nathan leaked word of the heroes to the government, the Hunter (Damages' Zeljko Ivanek) will start rounding them all up. Seems like a welcome break from the typical "stop big threat to save the world using lots of time traveling" formula. But the second it starts to lag, I'm out.

Dollhouse (February 13th, 9-10 PM, Fox, NEW SHOW)
In this new show from Joss Whedon (Buffy, Angel, Firefly), Eliza Dushku (Faith from Buffy) plays Echo. She works at a secret agency (is there any other kind?) as a blank slate, with personalities put into her depending on what her mission calls for. The show has suffered some bad early buzz, due to conflicts between Whedon and Fox and some production issues. But the plot sounds badass, and it's Joss freaking Whedon. If given time to grow, it can definitely stand with his previous classics.

Best Shows You're Not Watching: Winter Break Edition

Most TV shows won't be airing any new episodes until the week of January 5th, leaving two weeks without TV. So whether you've got a month-long winter break from school, a week or two break from work, or you're just missing Top Chef, now's a good time to catch up on those shows you've been meaning to get to. I'll tell you the top 5 shows worth checking out on DVD this month. My criteria are quality, addictiveness, and how recent the show is, so you can catch up quickly. Hence the absence of older shows like Lost.

5. Mad Men

Mad Men has replaced The Wire as the show you are sick of critics telling you to watch. But with only two seasons having aired, it's easy enough to catch up. The show's about Don Draper (Jon Hamm), a tight-lipped ad agency exec in the 1960s. Between the history of 1960s New York, the focus on advertising, the amazing characters, and the excellent acting and writing, there's something for anyone to enjoy. Mad Men moves with the same slow pace as The Sopranos, so it's not the best choice for a winter break marathon. But it is the show of the moment, so best get on the bandwagon now.

4. Dexter

Super-addictive and unlike anything else on TV, Dexter makes perfect TV on DVD. Season 1, in which friendly serial killer Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall, as amazing yet completely different than he was in Six Feet Under) faces off against the Ice Truck Killer, just gets better and better with each episode. Season 2, in which Dexter finds himself the target, is even more exciting. Season 3 won't be on DVD until late summer, and with season 4 a year away there's no rush. But if you want a show that will send you flying through the discs as fast as Lost, this is the one.

3. Pushing Daisies

Yes, it's been canceled, which may seem like a reason not to bother starting now. But since there's only been 19 episodes between the two seasons, it's hardly a big commitment. It's the story of piemaker Ned (Lee Pace), who has the power to bring the dead back to life for 60 seconds, which he uses to solve crimes. There's a lot of fantasy, and the show can get cutesy at times, so it's certainly not for everyone. But the show's wacky mysteries are unlike anything on any procedural, and the top-notch cast makes their quirky characters funny and adorable. Check it out now and you can still catch the last three episodes in 2009.

2. How I Met Your Mother

Regular readers of Zandervision know I'm a big fan by my frequent posts. In its fourth season, HIMYM is the oldest show on this list. But with half hour episodes, the seasons will fly past. If the title doesn't do it for you, don't worry. It's basically just a younger, hipper version of Friends. Except it's also got an obsession with continuity to rival Lost, a knack for coining phrases to rival Seinfeld, and one of the best characters on TV in Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris). It's hardly great TV on the level of Mad Men or Dexter, but the cast is so much fun you'll wish they were your friends. Watch enough of the show, and you might think they are.

1. Damages

Having only had one hyper-suspenseful season, Damages is very easy to catch up on. And with season 2 starting January 7th, now is the time to do it. Don't make the mistake of hearing "lawyer show" and tuning out, because this is unlike any lawyer show you've ever seen. The series begins with an attempted murder on protagonist Ellen (Rose Byrne) and a real murder of her fiance, David. From there, it flashes back six months to when Ellen started working for high-profile New York lawyer Patty Hewes (Glenn Close), in the middle of a lawsuit against corrupt CEO Arthur Frobisher (Ted Danson). Close, Danson, and Frobisher's lawyer Ray Fiske (Emmy winner Zeljko Ivanek) are all fantastic, and the constant double crosses and manipulations keep you guessing until the last second. With more time spent on hit men than courtrooms, this is the 24 of lawyer shows. Start watching now before it becomes the cool thing to do.