Susan Lucci, Erika Slezak
There will come a time when we tell future generations about the good old days when serialized soaps blanketed the daytime TV landscape — the way prime time once was overrun with Westerns, variety shows and big-ticket miniseries, among other fondly remembered, now-faded formats. The latest death knell, not unexpected but still a shock when it sounded, came late this week when ABC confirmed that the venerable, iconic All My Children and the similarly long-running One Life to Live had been taken off life support. Word of their demise had circulated for some time — AMC takes its final bow in September, One Life to Life will soldier on until January — but it's still a jolt to the system when confronted with the unmistakable signs than an era is ending. Changing viewing habits and economics have conspired against scripted daytime dramas in favor of cheaper-to-produce talk/lifestyle shows. Just as the remnants of variety TV can be found in the results shows of reality competitions American Idol and Dancing With the Stars, soap intrigues have been upstaged by celeb-reality high jinks: the plastic casts of Bravo's various Real Housewives shows, the debauched antics of Jersey Shore, which is being spun off while the daily soaps dwindle to a mere few...
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Hugh Laurie, Amber Tamblyn
House (Monday, 8/7c, Fox)
This homecoming will be a cause either for celebration or lamentation, depending on your affections for Thirteen, the enigma who's been MIA while Olivia Wilde has been off making movies (including the upcoming Cowboys & Aliens). So now we know where Thirteen has ...
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Holt McCallany and Catherine McCormack
Send questions to askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com and follow me on Twitter!
Question: I was saddened to learn of the cancellation of Lights Out. It has been a great show with great performances. If I had any complaint about this outstanding series, it would be that there could have been more boxing, especially early on in the series. Do you think that was a contributing factor, or is it just another case of a good show not finding its audience in a competitive time slot? This has also made me concerned about my favorite prime-time sitcom, Archer. The writing and voice acting are insanely brilliant. (For me, I rate it a hair above Community.) Do you think it will come back for a third season? Will we need to let slip the ...
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Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife
Sometimes it's not just about the ratings. And sometimes it is. That's the takeaway from an eventful week in the win-some/lose-some sweepstakes we call TV programming.
On the plus side: TNT's renewal of Southland, the latest lifeline for the gritty police drama that NBC ditched during that misbegotten period when Jay Leno put the 10 pm drama on the endangered species list. It will never be as popular as the network's signature shows like The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles (which got a funny shout out from 30 Rock's Liz Lemon this week), but Southland's uncompromising integrity helps give credence to TNT's "We Know Drama" credo.
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Community
Cheers to Community for its brilliant mash-up spoof of — excuse me, homage to — Pulp Fiction and My Dinner with Andre.
Want more Cheers & Jeers? Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!
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Pauley Perrette, Sandra Oh, Chord Overstreet
Every week, editors Adam Bryant and Natalie Abrams satisfy your need for TV scoop. Please send all questions to mega_scoop@tvguide.com.
Please give me some NCIS news on Abby and McGee! — Leslie
ADAM: I'm not sure McGabby 'shippers are going to love this, but ... Abby's going on a date! And McGee is not going to be happy about it. "If another girl comes around McGee, [Abby] definitely has a little bit of a jealous streak," Pauley Perrette says. The feeling is mutual, she says. So what do we know about Abby's new suitor? She'll look up to him, in some respect, and he's a stick-around kind of guy.
Where's the Grey's Anatomy scoop on Cristina and Owen? — Dina
NATALIE: Right here! Tensions for the couple will continue as we head toward the finale. "I don't think the end of the season is going to be easy for any of our fans, but I think it's going to be pretty explosive for...
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Community
Before Greendale's favorite study group engages in paintball warfare for the two-part May 12 finale, they'll have a few more adventures, ranging from a birthday to a birth. The cast and crew of Community dished to TVGuide.com what else to expect for the remainder of the season.
Your episode-by-episode guide of what's to come:
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Steve Carell
Dancing With the Stars (Monday, 8/7c, ABC)
Here we go again. Time to strap on the heels, attach the sequins and apply the spray tan. TV's giddiest dance competition returns for a new season, with the outrageous Kirstie Alley (paired with fan fave Maks) the highest-profile celeb in the cast. Her competition includes the usual suspects: athletes (Hines Ward, Sugar Ray Leonard), C-list performers (Ralph Macchio) a rapper (Romeo), a reality "star" (Kendra Wilkinson), a flamboyant talk-show host (Wendy Williams), a supermodel (Petra Nemcova) and a Disney personality few of the target audience will ever have heard of (Chelsea Kane). The mirrorball isn't the real prize for most of the contestants. Instant (if sometimes fleeting) stardom comes with the flashy territory.
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Josh Holloway
As the sarcastic and strapping Sawyer on Lost there were few things that rattled Josh Holloway. Taking on polar bears, the Others, and those creepy folks from the Dharma Initiative — no sweat! But when it comes to things that intimidate the actor in real life, the smoke monster doesn't hold a candle to the cast of NBC's Community.
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Justin Burrell #24 and Paris Horne #23 of the St. John's Red Storm fight for position against Robert Sacre #00 of the Gonzaga Bulldogs - March 17, 2011
The first day of March Madness drew the highest ratings for the NCAA basketball championships in 20 years, according to CBS Sports and Turner Sports.
The games — broadcast on CBS, TNT, TruTV and TBS — earned a combined 5.7 overnight rating, the highest since 1991 and up 24 percent from last year's debut.
See the full March Madness TV schedule
Thanks to the new CBS Sports and Turner Sports deal, all the second-round games were ...
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