Kiefer Sutherland
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: Something was very much glaring for me in the advance reviews for 24: Redemption. More often than not, reviewers questioned 24's relevance in the post-Bush era, droning on and on about the issue of torture in 24, how the show would adjust with a new president and relating just about everything to do with the show with politics. Look, I was not a big fan of Season 6, and I'm certainly not one of those who can't accept criticism of the show. If there are any problems with the plots and characters, please do fire away. But what I just can't stand is the penchant of many reviewers to "politicize" every single thing related to the show. To me a TV show has one main purpose: to entertain. If it does that, why the hell would I care if it is relevant with, say, the current political administration? Or whether it was associated with Bush politics in the past? I care far more about Teri's death, Mason's sacrifice, the nerve gas attack on CTU and Jack faking his death than those political perceptions with which the people in the media seem intent on tying the show. Let the show entertain. If it doesn't, point out its faults, simple as that, The only thing that will ever make a show relevant is its quality from a storytelling perspective, because in the end, that's what it really is: a fictional story. — Jack F.
See Matt's response plus questions on Pushing Daisies' cancellation, Life on Mars, Grey's Anatomy, Friday Night Lights, ER and more after the jump.
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Masi Oka, Heroes
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: Would you say Heroes decline in viewership is similar to the decline that Lost suffered after its first season? Lost originally had huge numbers when it debuted, but steadily declined because casual fans found the show "too mysterious" and that there were "too many questions and not enough answers." Would it be safe to say the mainstream, sci-fi shows that are aired on major networks may all suffer from this fate in some form or another? I know a lot of people blame Heroes' decline on poor writing (I don't watch the show so I can't say for myself) as opposed to the impatience some viewers experienced with Lost, but both shows seem to have a very solid fan base who will watch no matter what. Do you see NBC doing what it can to save Heroes the way ABC did with Lost? — Sarah S.
Matt Roush: I see quite a few similarities here, in part because I never expected either show to do as well as they did in their first seasons ...
See the rest of Matt's answer and questions on My Own Worst Enemy, The Shield, Worst Week, Monk, Friday Night Lights and more after the jump.
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Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: Sometimes I ask God why it was decided that I should be a sci-fi geek. I don't know about anyone else, but I have been impressed with the character development on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. It is clear that Fox asked the producers to cut back on special effects to save money, so the writers had to actually (gasp!) write. I think they've done a wonderful job. I am enjoying the development of John and Cameron the most, but also of Sarah, Derek and Ellison. And then Fox pulls a Firefly on me and moves it to Friday along with Dollhouse. I don't understand how Fox and other networks cannot get this ...
See the rest of this question, Matt's response, and questions on Grey's Anatomy, Life, Brothers & Sisters, Pushing Daisies, Ghost Whispere, Kath & Kim and more after the jump
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Michael Chiklis
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: Since Mad Men has recently wrapped up its second season, do you think the final season of The Shield is the best drama on television right now? I agree with you that the initial episodes involving the Mexican and Armenian gang war was convoluted and a bit illogical at times, yet these last few episodes have been some of the best television I've seen in a long time. The scene where Vic almost shot Shane and Mara had to be one of the most suspenseful moments on any show. Other scenes, like when Vic finally turned in his badge and gun and called it quits or when Shane hinted at the idea of having to leave his family, were great as well. I would go as far as to say that this season has surpassed the final seasons of other great shows like The Sopranos or The Wire. Apart from a few selected shows like Dexter or Brotherhood, The Shield is definitely the best drama on TV right now. — Grant
Matt Roush: With only two episodes remaining, what better time to salute The Shield, which I've always considered one of TV's best dramas and which is ...
See the rest of Matt's response plus questions on Heroes, The Mentalist, Dancing with the Stars, House, Chuck and more after the jump
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Johnny Galecki and Jim Parsons, The Big Bang Theory
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: I can't tell you how delighted I was to see The Big Bang Theory hit a series-high 10 million viewers last Monday. It is so nice to see people are finally noticing and watching the funniest sitcom on TV. I just love this show. I know it is ridiculously early, but do you think Jim Parsons will get an Emmy nomination this year? Sheldon has become the funniest character on TV, and the creativity and difficulty of learning all the science really makes Parsons a standout. Like I said, I know it is early, but what do you think of his chances, and how about The Big Bang Theory getting a nomination for best comedy show? — Scott G.
Matt Roush: Isn't it fun when good things happen to great shows? The steady growth ...
See the rest of Matt's response, plus questions on Grey's Anatomy, Ghost Whisperer, Mad Men, Dexter and more after the jump.
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Hugh Laurie and Lisa Edelstein, House
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: I was just wondering what you thought about the big House and Cuddy kiss at the end of the most recent House episode. (I know it is dangerous to express an opinion about any of the possible romantic pairings on House, but this is really more about the scene itself than any future romantic possibilities.) I've read some comments calling the kiss "awkward," and I thought (and maybe I'm the only one here) that it being awkward was sort of the point ...
See the rest of the question, Matt's response and questions on Pushing Daisies, Dancing with the Stars, The Big Bang Theory, The Ex-List, Chuck and more after the jump.
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Brooke Smith, Grey's Anatomy
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: So let me get this straight. Marissa on The O.C. has a lesbian storyline even though she's not "gay." Same with Callie on Grey's Anatomy, Thirteen on House, Angela on Bones, Julia on Nip/Tuck and probably a few others I'm forgetting. But there is a full-fledged "I see the leaves now" gay woman on a show, and the storyline gets shut down and the actress fired? What is going on here? Why are we okay with sexually curious women, but seemingly not okay with a woman who fully understands herself to be a lesbian? And when is the last time a man was "sexually curious" on a TV show without knowing he was gay? — Stephanie S.
See Matt's response plus questions on Brothers & Sisters, Mad Men, Life on Mars, NCIS and more after the jump.
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John Noble and Joshua Jackson
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: I am confused why some critics have stated that Joshua Jackson was miscast in the role of Peter on Fringe. I couldn't disagree more. Joshua is a good actor and Peter has good chemistry with Olivia. If anything they need to give him more to do than just be a babysitter all the time. They are wasting his fine talents, which is hardly his fault. (However, I must say he would have been miscast in the army doctor role over on Grey's Anatomy! He was too young for that role ...
Matt Roush: I'm not sure who you're reading, but I've got no beef with Joshua Jackson on Fringe. His snarky take ...
See Matt's full response and questions on Heroes, Reaper, CSI: Miami, Eli Stone and more after the jump.
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Jason O'Mara, Life on Mars
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: I wanted to write about how much I am enjoying Life on Mars. The cast is excellent, and the soundtrack perfectly complements the action and the era. And to think I almost didn't give this show a chance. Why? Because deep down, it's a show about cops, and I have had to put up with so many procedurals for so long that I've had my fill ... I have not seen the original British series, so I can't compare it to the American. As much as I have enjoyed it, I am not sure I know where the show is headed. In the first two episodes, there was a lot of reference to Sam's life in 2008, along with a few surreal elements that reminded the audience that Sam does not belong in 1973. The third episode seemed to put all of that on the back burner until the very end and concentrated mainly on the murder that the detectives had to solve. I hope that is not a sign of what we'll see in future episodes, because then we'll just have another police procedural on our hands. Your thoughts? — Kristin A.
See Matt's response and questions on Mad Men, Housewives, Friday Night Lights, True Blood and more after the jump.
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Christian Slater, My Own Worst Enemy
TV Guide's Senior Critic Matt Roush takes your TV questions. Have a rant, rave or burning question about your favorite show you'd like addressed? E-mail him here!
Question: What were your thoughts on the second episode of My Own Worst Enemy? I basically agreed with your opinion on the pilot, but I thought they gave us more background, key information and layers in the second episode that made it watchable. Although they did sweep your question of "why would they keep the Henry facade intact" under the rug by simply saying they can't take out the chip, they did provide a little bit of motivation for these characters to maintain the illusion. But more importantly, I thought the issues brought up in this show were a great improvement over last week's basic straightforward "guy finds himself in strange situation in alternate-persona's life." Henry's discomfort during the torture scene was interesting to me, as was his desperation to find something that proves his existence isn't fabricated. And the murder of the doctor at the end of the episode was compelling as well, clearly showing Edward as a cold-blooded assassin who must "protect the mission." I thought your review of the pilot was fair, but was just curious if you saw improvement in the second episode. — Joe
See Matt's answer plus questions on Desperate Housewives, Supernatural, Chuck, Las Vegas and more after the jump.
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