Has "Lost" lost what made it so compelling?
After last week's season premiere, Emily Nussbaum says she's worried: "My love was always fueled by the sense that there was something more perverse, more adult, buried beneath, that the show had something to say about guilt, about the way society (and individuals) re-form after a crisis. Now I’m worried those themes are gone for good, that the island is just a chess game played by Egyptian gods, and within that chess game, a pissing match between a coldly scheming CEO and a warmly scheming weasel, Ben, the last great character left."
Jimmy Fallon spoofs "Lost" with "Late" // What we don't know
"Lost" must solve the problem with Kate // The music of Lost"
"Lost" vs. Narnia // Nestor Carbonell on Richard's age
Terry O'Quinn jokes: "I notice that the effects are much better now that it's me"
Madonna's manager is the latest to be rumored for Simon Cowell's job
Madonna' righthand-man, Guy Oseary, could be a serious contender because he's so young (two years younger than Ryan Seacrest) and because he's been in the music business for more than two decades. A Fox insider tells the NY Daily News, "Guy has been in the music business since Madonna discovered him when he was 17, and he has a lot of the same experience as Simon."
Howard Stern didn't confirm "Idol" talks; "Idol" source says nobody's been asked
Don't take the Howard Stern-"Idol" rumors seriously
Ellen DeGeneres talks to Ryan Seacrest about her first night on the job
Singers to watch // Why the talented singers aren't featured in audition rounds
Fox's "Past Life" is a ridiculous wannabe procedural, with bad acting
The new drama, premiering tonight after "Idol," features a ridiculous premise with bland leads, says Rob Owen. "Take the procedural, case-solving elements of 'House' and 'Lie to Me,' add 'X-Files'-like skeptic-believer tension and mix in a generous dollop of reincarnation hokum and you'll get a pretty good sense of Fox's 'Past Life,' a been-there, watched-that program with a supernatural gloss."
It's shocking how bad the writing is // Fox edited out Baltimore
The writer of "Shattered Glass" and "State of Play," 
The ad (which 
Stern said this morning if he judged "Idol," he would've told 
A potential deal between Conan O'Brien and Fox will have to be unprecedented in the late-night world, according to Joe Adalian, who explains: "If Coco is to find a home on Fox, both parties need to act as if they're launching a business together — with shared risk and mutual reward. That means managing expectations, committing to a long-term plan and figuring out a way to ensure nobody gets soaked if the whole venture simply doesn't click with viewers."
As Newsweek's Joshua Alston notes, that's just the way our society is: "People still overwhelmingly date and marry within their own race. White people are the majority in this country and, therefore, the best audience to target from a ratings standpoint, and there's risk in alienating viewers who may have less enlightened views on interracial couples. Could they cast a black man? Sure. Would it be smart to? Probably not. The Bachelor is one of many pop-culture artifacts that highlight the uncomfortable gap between the way we'd like to think of racial integration and the way it actually is."
That shocking "Late Show" 
The former "Shield" star is teaming with "Brothers & Sisters" producer Greg Berlanti. exec producing and starring in "No Ordinary Family," a drama about an ordinary family that suddenly has special powers. Chiklis' last major network role was on NBC's "Daddio" in 2000, which was developed by ABC entertainment boss Steve McPherson.
The Teutuls' final episode will air on Thursday at 9 o'clock amid legal action that Paul Sr. is taking against Paul Jr. A rep tells TMZ: "The Teutuls will always be a part of the Discovery family and we congratulate them on a tremendously successful series run."
Specifically, Aspen authorities will charge the "Two and a Half Men" star with felony menacing for the Christmas Day incident involving his wife on Christmas Day, according to TMZ. In addition, Sheen is expected to be charged with misdemeanor assault. TMZ says the complaint won't be filed until late Friday or early Monday morning.
The providers of "Idol's" comic relief should star in their own "Idol"-like competition, argues Richard Rushfield. "That their fame is so fleeting is one of Idol's great tragedies, and one we demand, at long last, be corrected in the name of justice and entertainment," he says. "We call for Fox to grant equal competition rights to these stars who bring Americans such joy."
"I can't take it off at this point," says the "Parks and Recreation" star, "it would be too drastic a change. The beard's such a huge part of my appeal. I think most people come to my shows just to see my beard in person. I don't know if it's really about the live comedy as much as like, "Wow the beard looks just as good in person as it does on TV."
The Comedy Central series is as good as ever after a 14-month absence. “You’d think we were The Sopranos and not a 21-and-a-half-minute show about farts," says Silverman. "Everyone came back after so many months and taking other jobs, but they found their way back," she said, adding: "Even though our budget was smaller, we really made it work. Aesthetically it still looks so rich.”
