['V' - 'Unholy Alliance'] This week's episode carried the story along pretty well, but didn't really jump out with anything big or shocking, preferring to just slowly move along to what will hopefully be a grand finale. It was written by Rockne S. O'Bannon, better known as the creator of 'Alien Nation,' 'SeaQuest DSV' and 'Farscape.' The episode was somewhat disappointing in a sense because ...

['V' - 'Laid Bare'] The writers are doing a good job this season explaining exactly why the human race isn't licking the boots of the Visitors at this point. If they tried to rape the human race by force, there would probably be mass suicides and an unacceptable loss of their potential breeding livestock. The reasons behind this need will probably be forthcoming, but a hypothesis is that ...

['V' - 'Serpent's Tooth'] This one is for those of you who missed Jane Badler on television. It seems pretty obvious that the character of Diana was created to highlight her return to the series and create a tangible link between the current version and the original mini-series, because her role doesn't make sense. What did we learn from her? We learned that V's have visited the Earth since ...

['V' - 'Red Rain'] Welcome to what is likely the final season of this series. This is a shame, because 'V' showed some promise in tonight's premiere. The show has an excellent premise and a kick-ass cast, but given ABC's treatment, unless it gets some major ratings, it's likely a goner. At least we finally got to see what the aliens look like under their fake skin, literally down to the ...

['Doctor Who' - 'A Christmas Carol'] The very existence of a 'Doctor Who' Christmas special actually broadcasting on Christmas Day highlights the cultural differences between England and the United States. Would any of the major U.S. networks broadcast an episode of one of their original, scripted series on Christmas? Likely not. The episode itself, written by 'Doctor Who' showrunner Steven ...

Back in the glory days of television (when there was no cable), the idea of having a unlikeable person on a show was anathema to the networks. Sure, there were silly or angry characters (Ralph Kramden comes to mind), but protagonists weren't actually mean or spiteful (except when the plot called for it and usually only for an episode). But after the breakthrough of 'All in the Family' and the ...

['The Simpsons' - 'The Fight Before Christmas'] The 2010 Christmas episode of 'The Simpsons' had a lot going for it. It basically became a Christmas version of their famous 'Treehouse of Horror' Halloween episodes -- there was even a reference to it with Marge telling a wayward bat "Wrong holiday, stupid.". There was a lot of fantasy outside of 'Simpsons' continuity (such as it is), but without ...

['South Park' - 'Crème Fraiche'] Tonight's episode brings us to the end of another season of 'South Park' and Trey Parker and Matt Stone have decided to end the season with a lot of sexual double entendres (or at least more sexual double entendres than usual). With this break, perhaps Matt Stone and Trey Parker will use the time to reflect and create. Perhaps they'll even write a ...

Do you know where the 'Two and a Half Men' live? Or where Tim "The Tool Man' Taylor was making his 'Home Improvement'? TV shows, particularly sitcoms, always seem to take place in a generic suburb (Just to save you a Google search, the settings of the aforementioned shows are Malibu, Calif. and Detroit, Mich.respectively). With the possible exception of programs that take place in New York or ...

So how long is too long when it comes to series television? Is 23 seasons too long? Should 'The Simpsons' finally be put to rest? Whatever your feelings, they don't matter to Fox, which has renewed the long-running animated sitcom for a 23rd season. With this renewal, the show will be able to hit the very rare 500-episode mark, approaching 'Lassie' and 'Gunsmoke' for the record of aired ...