I have no idea what the chances are that 'Southland' will get picked up for renewal by TNT, but as a fan, I'm not hopeful. While the show's gotten critical raves and has decent ratings, it's missing the crucial buzz that would push a network teetering on the fence to renew it. While viewers love the show, they're not fanatical enough to start letter writing campaigns or picket outside the ...

I love almost every aspect of FX's new series 'Justified.' And, in particular, I love the big cowboy hat the show's lead character, Raylan Givens, wears, even though he's from Kentucky and it's 2010 and US Marshals generally don't sport them these days. Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker points out that the hat -- a wide, white signifier of the modern day western -- has the potential to alienate ...

(S01E07) Perhaps this episode should have been called 'Comeuppance Received'? Tensions between Cate, Ryan and Baze boiled over and for once, Cate is the one who messed up royally. I've said before that it's been hard for me to connect with Cate and see past her grating Type-A exterior. But even I winced at the epic dumping she got from Eric. It was deserved, but brutal. And Cate's early ...

(S01E05) Nothing ruins a good episode like fifteen minutes of maudlin weeping. After a brisk 45 minutes of 'Three's Company'-style hijinks, wherein Baze invades Cate & Ryan's perfect life, the tension between Ryan/Cate/Baze comes to a grinding halt when everyone starts exploring their feelings. Not to sound too cynical, but why should every episode end with a very touching moment, complete ...

(S01E05) So, after last week's excess of "after school special" moments, we get a wonderfully funny, balanced and mature episode this time around. As Lux struggles to fit in with the kids at her new school, Cate struggles with her status as a stern mom, rather then the fun-loving radio host. And Baze? Well, Baze struggles with his relationship with Lux, with his own father and how to drum up ...

Late Sunday, Anderson Cooper and fellow part-time hero / full-time correspondent Sanjay Gupta tweeted that they were going back to Haiti. Almost a month after a major quake destroyed the capital, most news crews and their high profile reporters have long since packed up and left. Haiti is no longer front page news and that makes Cooper's return all the more interesting. It's no secret that ...

(S01E04) I am so excited for the return of the infamous bong lamp, but wow, does it cause some major trouble. Last week, we saw Lux sell Baze's pride and joy to help cover his bar rent. Two weeks ago, the offending lamp was also one of the reasons Baze was denied full custody of Lux. This week, it's the reason she gets suspended from her fancy-pants public school. Stupid lamp, can't do anything ...

(S01E03) Heartstrings were pulled again repeatedly on this episode of 'Life Unexpected,' were they not? After minor meltdowns from Lux, Baze and Cate last week, the three of them seem to be moving into something of a routine now, having gotten past the sketchy friends and threatening to move out portion of their relationship. Last week, we dug a bit deeper into Lux's life, and this week, we ...

(S01E02) - Oh, Cate. Had I known you were capable of pulling a lowly, John Edwards-esqe move, I may not have been so ready in praise of you last week. Seriously, the one thing I can not overlook in this episode if how quick Cate was to deny her daughter's existence on her radio show. The same radio show that Cate knows Lux listens to religiously. Happily enough, everyone else was around to ...

I don't know who else is mesmerized by the news coverage of Haiti, but I imagine that many people are still watching the devastating footage blanketing the news networks. As much as I want to turn it off, I can't. I'm compelled to look. A part of me thinks that it's my responsibility to bear witness to the horror. Anyway, with all my CNN viewing, it's becoming clear that CNN reporters are ...