Upcoming 90210 guest star Rumor Willis (pictured above) doesn’t believe she owes her ‘acting career’ to her famous parents. No really. [GabbyBabble]

From iconic big screen superhero to CHUCK guest star, you know what’s not so super? Brandon Routh’s career trajectory. [EW]

Laura Linney thinks Cancer is funny. Clearly, somebody didn’t see Funny People. [Variety]

Good News: The cast of SWINGTOWN is back working. Bad News: On other shows. [Staying In]

First let’s be clear. The William S. Paley Television Festival is this TV Addict’s Super Bowl equivalent. So much so that for three out of the past four years, I’ve shelled out far too much money than I care to think about for the privilege of spending one week in Los Angeles amidst some of my favorite television show’s casts and creative teams (click here for coverage.)

That said, Daniel Fienberg’s recent column asking, “Has the Paley Festival lost its way?” really got me thinking. And not just about how I can legally change my last name so that it fits into a clever blog title like “The Fien Print.”  

Rather, I’ve been thinking about what I would do if I programmed Paley. And how for every show that is worth honoring this year (see: BIG LOVE and DR. HORRIBLE’s SING-ALONG BLOG) there seems to be an equal number of shows that have yet to prove themselves worthy of sharing the same stage with the likes of past honourees including DEXTER, THE SOPRANOS and ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT (see: 90210 and DOLLHOUSE.)

Don’t get me wrong, the TV Addict loves Joss Whedon as much as the next Browncoat. But even the most ardent of Whedon supporters would have to concede that awarding his fledging new series DOLLHOUSE a spot among the Paley elite is a wee bit premature. Especially when you consider that Whedon is already being singled out for his ground-breaking new media experiment DR. HORRIBLE’s SING-ALONG BLOG.

In fact, a more cynical TV Addict might speculate that the current trend in Paley programming is to honor shows with a young and vibrant fan base that can handily sell out Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome and simultaneously line the Paley Center for Media’s coffers. Which by the way, I’m not the least bit adverse to considering the countless hours I’ve spent enjoying both the New York and Los Angeles based museums. I just can’t help but feel that there may have been some slightly overlooked and far more deserving shows that could have been included in this year’s festivities.

I mean come’on — 90210? Have the Paley programmers even watched the series?

If I programmed Paley, Julia Louis Dreyfus’ phenomenally underrated NEW ADVENTURES OF OLD CHRISTINE would be honored well before relative newcomer THE BIG BANG THEORY. A timely look at the history of late night television featuring a panel of past, current and future hosts would be closing out the Festival rather than the already cancelled and little watched SWINGTOWN. While ABC Family’s GREEK would get some long overdue praise in place of 90210. The latter of which has absolutely no place in any television related festival unless of course it’s headlining a panel entitled, “How NOT to relaunch a cultural icon.”

And don’t even get me started on the inclusion of THE HILLS, because honestly, I’m at a loss for words. Or at the very least, words that are safe for work.

Related Articles of Interest:
The William S. Paley Festival Celebrates “The Hills” And Its Contribution To Television Culture
Has the Paley Festival lost its way?

Good News: The CW has officially announced that GOSSIP GIRL showrunners Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage are developing a spinoff that will chronicle the wild years of Lily van der Woodsen in Los Angeles circa 1980. With the Hollywood Reporting, well reporting that, “as in the original series, fashion, pop culture and music will be central to the spinoff.” Bad News: Fashion, pop culture and music…. does the CW remember the 80′s…. shudder. [Source]

Good News: According to NBC Primetime president Angela Bromstad, reports of LIPSTICK JUNGLE’s cancellation are greatly exaggerated. Bad News: Unfortunately the same can’t be said for SWINGTOWN, which CBS president Nina Tassler revealed was not coming back at yesterday’s Television Critics Association press tour stating, “We’re not going back to SWINGTOWN. At the end of the day the show was well executed, it was well received, the performances were great, the writing was great. It was a risk, we took it, and we’re proud of it.” [Source]

First, to Showtime president of entertainment Bob Greenblatt. I know you’re real excited about that spin-off of THE L-WORD that may or may not get the go-ahead (the pilot is only now being edited). But agreeing with reporters that it sounds like “a female OZ” why not give credit where credit is due and admit that it sounds like a PRISONER CELL BLOCK H ripoff… er, homage.

iFMAGAZINE.COM is reporting that former JERICHO executive producer Jon Turteltaub is developing a big-screen flick around the twice-failed series. I don’t want to call the man delusional, but he thinks if reruns of the series on the CW are “like this remarkable success”, it might get another shot at life on a network. And did we mention he’s developing a feature film? Dude, give it up.

New York’s Daily News says that by adding judge Kara Dioguardia, AMERICAN IDOL has “finally found its mean girl.” Yeah, cause that’s what the show needed. To be meaner.

PRISON BREAK’s executive producer told Entertainment Weekly that they were ending the show because nobody wanted it to “become a parody of itself.” Um, too late.

Word has it Michael Cera is holding up the ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT movie. Seriously? I see a fatal corn-baller accident in George Michael’s future.

To the folks at ABC who filled last night’s LOST-fest with such “fascinating” tidbits as “This is Claire.” or my personal favorite, which told us who the Oceanic Six were… as they were on screen, as if we weren’t smart enough to put the pieces together… there’s mentoring and then there’s treating us like short-bus riders.

In the least shocking news ever, CBS president Nina Tassler told reporters this week that SWINGTOWN is, in the words of those famous munchkins, really, most sincerely dead. “The show was well executed, it was well received, the performances were great, the writing was great,” she said to the gathered journalists as reported by Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Ausiello. And given all those facts, gee, we can see why they cancelled the show. Nina, next time people take shots at your network for airing 15 procedurals, know that this is why. Oh, and know that when we say “people” we mean us, your friends at thetvaddict.com.

Got a TV-related pet peeve you need to get off your chest? Send it to us at info@thetvaddict.com or better yet, a tweet via twitter.

At the recent Television Critics Association Press Tour, SWINGTOWN executive producer Alan Poul promised that, “The season ends with a cliffhanger, but it’s also a completely satisfying ending. So, if we go forward, there are many new things that are set up to explore. And if we don’t go forward, there’s no feeling that we’ve been left with something incomplete.”

Huh?

Did SWINGTOWN executive producer Alan Poul actually watch his show’s season finale on Friday night?

Putting aside how incredibly satisfying it was for this TV Addict to witness Tom and Trina Decker blossom into the summer’s most unexpected romantic couple, Janet evolve past her initial [and so overdone] tired cliched TV stereotype of Martha Stewart re-incarnate and B.J, and Samantha’s adorable first love, Mr. Poul is going to have to explain to millions of fans across the country what exactly was ‘completely satisfying’ about ending off the season and quite possibly the series with Susan, Bruce, Roger and Janet’s marriages on the brink of destruction?

Because unlike DuckyDoesTV.com, my slight television addiction has put a serious damper on my imagination and I’m definitely not content to have, “the story-lines and these characters grow, change and live on in my mind where they are safe from creative slumps and network gimmickry.”

Good News: THE OC’s Benjamin Mackenzie is in talks with John Wells to join the NBC ensemble drama LAPD. Bad News: Putting to rest any hope that he will be joining the Walker clan on BROTHERS & SISTERS this fall. [Source]

Good News: Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Chalke have been tapped to host the Emmys this fall. Bad News: And by Emmys, we mean the non-televised Creative Arts Emmys that we’ll be wishing we were at as we suffer through one-liners courtesy of Howie Mandel and Jeff Probst. [Source]

Good News: The TV Addict just completed DEXTER’S Psycho Therapy Test. Bad News: Turns out I may have some ‘issues’! [Find out if you need Therapy by clicking here.]

I don’t think I’m overstating anything when I say that this summer has given us some of the best TV I’ve seen in a long time. I’m still not caught up on the few weeks I missed due to our trip to San Diego, but I still feel like I’ve seen some quality TV that I’m glad we have in the summer so these shows don’t have to compete with my regular fall viewing. Here are my favorite shows from the summer (if not listed, it’s because I’m just not caught up and I can’t say it’s my favorite if I haven’t seen it…I’m talking to you, THE CLOSER).

My five favorite summer shows this year:

BURN NOTICE – Ever since my visit to the set, I feel connected to this show. I’ve had the chance to spend time with the people that make the show possible, so to me, that makes season 2 even more spectacular than season 1. Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) is a great character – he’s sarcastic, which is perfect for me – I sometimes feel like sarcasm should be my middle name. I love Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar, who I can’t say enough good things about) and I think she’s even better this season than last. No one compares to Sam (Bruce Campbell) and, say what you will about Madeline (Sharon Gless), I think she’s a fantastic character. I have enjoyed every episode of Season 2 so far. It’s funny, whip smart, and just an easy way to pass the time. I understand the plight of viewers who think the Carla thing has dragged on a bit too far, but I personally am on the edge of my seat, waiting to see how the mid season “finale” goes (since we’ll get more BURN NOTICE in January this year) and what more we find out about the mysterious Carla (Tricia Helfer).

THE MIDDLEMAN – I cannot say enough good things about this show. Matt Keeslar is brilliant as the goody two shoes Middleman. He and Natalie Morales (Wendy Watson) have an absolutely fantastic chemistry between them, and Mary Pat Gleason as Ida is perfectly cast. Wendy’s roommate and neighbor Lacey and Noser are some of the best things about the show. I just find the whole cast to be intriguing, and different. Plus, the creator of the show, Javier Grillo-Marxuach is one of my favorite people on the planet. Please find 100,000 of your friends to watch this show (Kevin Sorbo was CLASSIC last night as the Middleman from 1969) and help a girl out. Also, send peanut M&Ms into ABC Family in an effort to get a second season.

SWINGTOWN – When this started, I thought it would be another cheeseball show that just sexed it up for 44 minutes, and then said “tune in next week for more sexing it up” but I could not have been more wrong. What started as a clichéd story about Swingers in Chicago suburbs has turned into one of the most intriguing character studies currently airing on TV. I love a good flawed character, and everyone on this show (except BJ, who is like the coolest kid ever) has some sort of huge flaw which plays to their advantage. I’m dying to see what happens to Bruce and Susan. And Roger and Janet. Will Roger and Susan act on whatever is brewing between them? Will Janet find a new man when she enters the workforce? What will become of Laurie and Doug (which, again, say what you will, I think this storyline is very real, and I enjoyed it)? Most importantly, does Grant Show’s appearance on PRIVATE PRACTICE later in the fall season (and the decline of ratings since episode 1) mean we should be savoring every last minute of his porn-stache?

MAD MEN – This show is so good it should be illegal. It’s like a drug addiction for me; I seriously cannot get enough! I love Betty Draper. She’s just perfect. And I hate-love Don Draper for so many reasons. I’m dying to see what happens with the Pete / Peggy love-child story. I want to see more Sal has trouble admitting who he really is storylines, and hopefully that means more Sarah Drew! What is going to become of everyone at Sterling Cooper and with Joan as Don’s fill in secretary for a bit, how awesome is that going to be? What started as a lazy Labor Day marathon last summer has quickly become a great obsession, and I am not looking forward to the season ending (I know we’re only a few episodes in, but I don’t want to go another year without it. See, I told you it was like a drug)!

PSYCH – Burton Guster and Shawn Spencer are two of my favorite characters on TV, period. I love them together. I think their friendship is dynamite and I want to hang out with them on a daily basis because they just crack me up! Add in time spent with Henry Spencer, plus Lassiter and Jules, and I’m in! Cybill Shepherd was great as Shawn’s mom – looking forward to seeing more of that. I kind of can’t wait for the Roller Derby episode that some friends got to see being filmed. Everything about this show screams “Great summer escapist fare” and I love escaping into Santa Barbara on a weekly basis!

What else is coming up in August?

Know what else I’m excited about? The season premiere of GREEK on August 26. I miss that show – it’s one of my top summer shows from last year, so I’m glad it’s coming back! And getting the timeslot right after megahit THE SECRET LIFE is such a sign of support from the bigwigs at ABC Family. Kudos to them!

“I’ll Catch it in Reruns”

That’s a big motto for me during the regular season when there’s a show I really want to watch but I just don’t have time to, and for me this summer, that show has been CSI: NY. I don’t know why; I’m not a fan of CSI. I really don’t love CSI: MIAMI though I watch it. I am absolutely hooked on CSI:NY thanks to the power of reruns and On Demand.

I’ve also gotten the chance to get completely caught up on DIRTY SEXY MONEY this summer (I have had them on my TiVo this long) and I’m even more excited for the new season now!

What about you guys? What are did you love this summer? What else are you looking forward to?

I’ve only seen the first 15 minutes of the debut episode, but HOPKINS seems determined to prove that reality TV needn’t be the black sheep of programming. The stakes are life and death, and the players in this game are people, not the caricatures who populate THE HILLS or THE REAL WORLD. Given that it is populated by doctors, it’s appropriate to dub this appointment television.

If all reality competitions were as full of energy, honesty and life as SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE, there’d be a lot more worth watching. This week’s episode featured several truly stunning performances, my personal favorite of which was Mark and Chelsea’s emotional hip-hop number to the tune Bleeding Love. (If you missed it, youtube it… trust me!) I hate the fact that the snarky, nasty, pointless critiques of AMERICAN IDOL put that show at the top of the ratings heap while the honest, helpful, constructive criticisms of SYTYCD’s judges make this show a hit by summer standards, but keep it from being anything near the blockbuster IDOL is. Sometimes, America, you make me hate you. I’m just sayin’.

I’m not sure exactly how I feel about NBC’s BABY BORROWERS. I will say that if it prevents even one teen from having a baby they’re not ready for, perhaps it’s all worth while. And the people I really want to talk to are the parents who agreed to hand their offspring over to these teens! Last night, I met a couple with a seven-month-old child and asked if they would ever consider taking part in such a program. In the entire history of vocalization the word “No!” has never been uttered more emphatically.

File this under “don’t judge me”, but you know those kinda mean-spirited reality shows I’ve been dissing of late? My household watched WIPEOUT and I SURVIVED A JAPANESE GAME SHOW last night and, okay, I’ll admit it, we laughed our way through both. Especially WIPEOUT, largely due to the hysterical interviewing techniques and reaction shots of Jill Wagner. The biggest problem with WIPEOUT is the fact that so many contestants were thrown at us in the pilot that we walked away unable to name — let alone identify with — a single one.

Am I alone in feeling as if the second season of ARMY WIVES isn’t living up to the potential of its freshman episodes? Maybe it’s because Roxanne, always my favorite, has been sort of sidelined and neutered. I will say that I still love Pamela, who has really become the heart of the show. And is it just me, or did Kim Delaney’s Claudia Joy lose a daughter but gain a whole lotta lip in that explosion? Hello, botox!

Good News: 20th Century FOX has been quietly working on a pilot based on the Canadian hit series LITTLE MOSQUE ON THE PRARIE. Bad News: The last show that featured a Muslim protagonist — ALIENS IN AMERICA — was quietly cancelled when nobody bothered to watch. [Source]

Good News: We’re that much closer to a FRIENDS Reunion. Bad News: Because FX cancelled Courtney Cox’s pet project DIRT. [Source]

Good News: SWINGTOWN just received the endorsement of a lifetime, albeit from an incredibly unlikely source. Bad News: The Parent’s Television Council never learns. I mean who isn’t tuning into SWINGTOWN after PTC President Tim Winter calls it “one of the most sexually indulgent programs we’ve seen on broadcast television in a long time.” [Source]