It's Been a Privilege

The first season of Privileged comes to a close Tuesday at 9 p.m. on The CW. I'm not going to lie to you  -- I'm worried. Lately it does seem like every new show I like doesn't live to see a second season.  But I want to believe in the vast television landscape there is room for a quality show like Privileged -- a show that combines teen angst, compelling family drama, rocky romances,and  navigating your post-college twenties with the best pop-culture references since I stopped visiting Stars Hollow.

When we last left Megan (JoAnna Garcia) she didn't get a job at the new magazine because she was fighting with Will. Will, however, did get the job he wanted because his father was funding the venture. Rose decided to move out of her room with Sage. Rose discovered Megan had been keeping a secret from her. Megan's father hadn't been seen or heard from since his wife left him -- again. And Marco proposed to Keith.

In other words there was a lot going on and from what I understand not everything will be wrapped up tomorrow night. That makes me a little nervous (what if the show never returns?!?) but mostly I'm happy that the show is going out with a positive attitude (end on a cliffhanger because you are banking on a second season). As you know ever since Jin was found to be alive on Lost, I do think I can make TV happen by the sheer force of my will. So now I'm putting all of my energy towards a second season of Privileged. 

Kathy Griffin guest stars in the finale as Marco and Keith's wedding planner. And we'll learn some unsettling news about Luis. But it sounds like Will and Megan's issues will take center stage in the finale. And I really like the way the show has handled their relationship thus far. The writers have successfully avoided a plethora of TV clichés to give their burgeoning romance depth.

And I like Megan's family issues even more. Her fractured relationship with her dad. Her needy, demanding, self-centered but ultimately well meaning sister. Her flighty, scheming mom who seems to feel no remorse for what she continues to put her daughters through. It's all good stuff and with the show's deft scripts everything unfolds in believable and compelling ways.

Sure the show is still finding itself (I already miss Charlie) but it has so much potential. So please, as a favor to me, tune in or record tomorrow night's season finale. You won't be disappointed.

Ask TV Gal

Notes from the Underbelly, Canterbury's Law, Curb Your Enthusiasm. They are on my TiVo Season Pass. Any chance of their return? Tracy

Tracy, your TiVo will have to break up with Notes from the Underbelly and Canterbury's Law. They won't be coming back. But my friends at HBO tell me that Larry David and his pals are busy filming another season of Curb but no premiere date has been set yet.

I was excited to see a promo for a new show with Ben McKenzie - is there any scoop on it? The promos for Kings also look kinda interesting - any word on it? Thanks. Katie

The new series is called Southland and it premieres Thursday, April 9 on NBC -- one week after ER has its series finale. It's about a police unit in LA and is from executive producer John Wells. The cast is really intriguing. In addition to our friend from The O.C., the series also stars Tom Everett Scott, Regina King, Kevin Alejandro and Shawn Hatosy. NBC hasn't sent out a review DVD yet but I'll keep you posted. Kings premieres March 15. Ian McShane stars as the monarch of a fictional country. The series is a version of the classic David vs. Goliath story. I will have a review of this show next week.

Highlights of the Week Ahead
All times listed are Eastern Standard Time for February 23 -- March 1

Amy Sedaris continues her guest stars as Fritz's sister Claire in the season finale of The Closer (Monday at 9 p.m. on TNT). Now Brenda and Fritz are supposed to be getting married tonight and I hope Brenda makes it down the aisle. I know quite a few of you didn't prefer Sedaris' goofy performance but I did enjoy seeing how the rest of Brenda's team reacted to her.

You know how I feel about Lost -- that I might not always understand exactly what's going on, I'm ultimately pulled in each week by the characters and their story arcs. That's how I am feeling about Life on Mars (Wednesday, ABC, 10 p.m.), my other new favorite show of the season that I'm hoping we see next year. The look and feel of the show is so patently 70's that you can't help but be transported just like Sam back to 1973. But I love the way the characters are unfolding -- Ray's issues with women, Lt. Hunt's issues with his daughter, Annie holding her own in a precinct of basically sexist men, and Sam desperately trying to find out what is happening to him. So do I think the prostitute last week was really giving Sam clues about how to get home or do I think he was hallucinating? I'm not sure but I was totally entertained by the hour either way. This week, Fred Thompson, who left Law & Order to run for President, returns to TV. He'll play Chief Harry Wolf. Are you still watching Life on Mars? Talk about it below.

Okay ER listen up. You know that "ain't ER grand" high I've been on the past couple of weeks? That all comes to a crashing end if you hurt just one little hair on Dr. Carter's head. I know the show has a penchant for killing off those who have worked in County General but they simply cannot do that to Dr. Carter. They cannot. I hate when shows end with a beloved character dying. If something happens to Dr. Carter, you will find me rocking in a corner clutching my TiVo. Also if someone could please explain to Neela that she belongs with Ray I would greatly appreciate it. Noah Wyle's guest appearance continues this week (Thursday, NBC, 10 p.m.).                

I don't want to spoil anything about the two hour Brothers & Sisters that's airing this Sunday at 9 p.m. on ABC. But I will say that I think the promotions for the "2-hour movie event" (as ABC has taken to calling it, since when did episodes become events, but I digress) have been misleading. Unless something happens that was not in the episode I saw, one of the things in the following ABC promo tag is not true "A joyous birth . . . a shocking death . . . a family shaken to its roots." But the disconnect between ABC's promo department and what actually happens in the episode aside, I think it's a really strong Brothers & Sisters episode. There are less Walker family screaming matches and stronger plot developments -- particularly in both the Tommy and Robert story lines. Both men will be hampered by their blind ambition. I'm still not so sure about the Ryan story line. I think it might have been better if the series had let sleeping illegitimate children subplots lie, but Sunday's episode is more of what I expect from the series. I'll be very curious to hear what you think.

That's all for today. I'm back on Wednesday with this week's familiar faces. Also coming this week thoughts on Ugly Betty, a review of the new season of Celebrity Apprentice (I'm so excited for Joan Rivers, is that wrong?) and more. Have a question? Seen a familiar face? Want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com. Talk to you on Wednesday.

E-mail

• Digg
• Facebook
• Fark
• Yahoo Buzz
• Stumbleupon