The new season of HBO's Big Love also brought with it a new opening sequence for the first time in its history and not everyone is in love with it.

Some readers of my review of the show's season four premiere made some well reasoned arguments both for and against the new sequence, something I didn't do because it wasn't included in the screener review HBO sent out before the show hit the airwaves last Sunday. It not only has a much different look and feel but it also has a new theme song, "Home" by the Engineers replacing "God Only Knows" by the Beach Boys.

It's still early in the season, but I like the new sequence just as much as the old one. As for the song, well at least they didn't go with Tom Petty's "Free Fallin'."

In one of the rowdiest panels of the Con, the stars and writers of the CW's Smallville took to the stage on the last day of the convention. Moderated by Joseph Loeb, the panel featured Allison Mack (Chloe), Justin Hartley (Green Arrow), new stars Sam Witwer (Doomsday), Cassiday Freeman (Tess), and showrunners Kelly Souders, Brian Peterson, Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer. It was a panel full of spoilers, fan appreciation, and a good amount of name plaque requests.

Some of what is upcoming during season 8 can be found after the jump.

There's been some scuttlebutt stirred up to suggest that next season's two-hour 24 prequel TV movie will be considered part of the 24 hours in Day 7, therefore leading some to think that there'll only be 22 episodes. But how could there only be 22 hours in a day, right? Well, TV being what it is, I'm sure they'd find a way to do two hours in one -- other shows do! -- but that won't be the case. There will be 24 hours, 24 episodes in the 2009 season of 24.

Part of the reason for all this confusion is an interview that actor Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty) gave to Premiere.com. Carlyle, who will be playing someone who'd been a mentor to Jack, said that the 24 TV movie, which is meant to cover what's happened since the end of Day 6 with the new Day 7, would apply to the Fox episode commitment. He told Premiere.com, "This is two hours in real time, and there'll then be 22 episodes."

Quick: how old is Jack Bauer?

If you guessed "in his 40s," you're wrong. He's actually in his 50s! At least he will be when the new season of 24 starts on FOX in early 2009. The network has revealed that Bauer will have aged four years when the show returns in January. Chloe will no longer be pregnant -- she'll have a four year old. At least this is more realistic than what you see on soap operas, when a character will have a kid and then that kid will come back two years later and suddenly be a teenager.

In the first season of the show, Bauer was 35 years old, so 17 years have passed on the show. In real life, actor Kiefer Sutherland is 41 years old (he's younger than me? Jeez).

24 joins the ever-growing list of TV shows that are using time jumps as pivotal plot developments, including Lost and Desperate Housewives.

They've lost Lex Luthor and Lana Lang as regulars, and now it looks like Chloe Sullivan might also be swept from Season 8 of Smallville. TV Guide reports that Allison Mack, the actress who plays Chloe, is in negotiations for her contract.

This could go either way. The show is suffering from the loss of Michael Rosenbaum and Kristen Kreuk as regulars, which is likely why Mack's people are now trying to negotiate her contract. As the article mentions, without Chloe it becomes Lois and Clark: The Early Years.

She plays a computer specialist and sometime-action hero on one of the most successful television shows of all time. She occasionally acts in off-beat films like Punch Drunk Love and Little Miss Sunshine and in indie movies like Gregg Araki's Mysterious Skin, a 2004 film so dark it barely graced theater marquees before heading to DVD and quasi-cult status. She counts stand-up comedy among her creative outlets. And Mary Lynn Rajskub, a.k.a Chloe on FOX's 24, says she is equally at home in any and all of those seemingly incompatible worlds.

1.Where were you born?
Detroit, Michigan

2.Do you have any siblings?
Two older sisters

3 What did you study in college?
Fine art

4.Do you have any pets?
A cockapoo named Emmy

5. Do you have any nicknames?
No nicknames

6.What is your favorite restaurant?
Baja Fresh and Starbuck's not really-that thai place in pasadena, Soledang

7. What is your favorite TV Show?
24

8. Who is your favorite band/musician?
John Mayer and Jessica Simpson's pictures, Elliot Smith, Freedom of 76 by Ween. Starman by David Bowie

9. If you could live anyplace in the world where would it be?
Embassy Suites in Albuquerque, Culver City, in a hole.

10. Who do you think should be the next President of the United States?
Hillary Clinton

(S06E15) Whoa, Smallville has a bowling alley? Who knew? What other secret little getaways is this town hiding? Do they have a roller rink? An arcade? Come on, Clark playing Defender, that's just aching for a write-in. Of course, if you had telekinesis would you be using it to score babes on the lanes? I can't think of a better place to put it to good use, except maybe cheerleading practice. Then he could reenact Zapped all over again, sans Scott Baio.

Also, is it just me, or did the premise of this episode seem a little bit like Heroes? You've got a guy tracking down meteor freaks, and stealing 'em away for some devious purpose. There was no Horn Rimmed Glasses dude, but someone creepily close to him. If you put a set of those spex on Dr. Bethany, I bet he'd look a lot like that dude. He does Lex's dirty work, seems to have no trouble getting in and out of the mansion, and has a good cover story as a doc to hide behind. Plus that really nifty ray-gun. Hmm.

Here's a cute little video, courtesy of Spolerbuzz (by way of YouTube) that places jolly old Santa into the world of 24. Entitled 24th it takes place between 11:58 PM and midnight. Santa has a dilemma: there's no chimney to climb down. So, who does he call? Well, his favorite C.T.U. (that would be Christmas Toy Unit) elf Chloe, who gives him the schematics of the house and a way to get in.

Along the way he encounters a nosy little girl and a plate of chocolate chip cookies. Sorry, no one gets kidnapped, maimed or killed, and the United States is not obliterated by nuclear, biological or chemical weapons. Heck, I'm sure Jack Bauer was probably sleeping when Santa went on his yearly Ops mission. It's just a sweet little piece of film that promotes the newest season of 24, which premieres in January.

You can view the clip by clicking on this link.

Let the 24 hype begin! Today, Fox released a new trailer for season six of 24 and it looks pretty damn good. I've watched the show before and haven't liked it, but the trailer kinda makes me curious. It seems different than before-- with all hell breaking loose on the streets of America and Jack Bauer reaching superhero status. I don't want to ruin it for you, so I will just give you these few notes: Jack has a beard, Chloe is wearing a suit, and Fox Newschannel is already getting lots of product placement. Season six of 24 premieres Sunday and Monday, January 14 & 15 at 8 pm.

Go watch it here and tell me what you think.

(S05E22) Smallville really takes a lot out of you with the season finales. They take the concept of a cliffhanger and just screw you up the butt with it. Yup, I said it. I feel a little bit sodomized after tonight's episode. It's the same thing every season -- the long, drawn-out climax and then ugh...it sorta hurts there at the end.

And, this season's finale was no different.   

(S05E19) If you ignore the blatant Saw rip-off, then this episode was super fantastic. But any episode that centers around Lionel is a winner in my book. This ep was a total incubator for cliffhangers. In this episode, Lionel is kidnapped by a masked tormentor who forces him to endure all kinds of riddles and physical challenges in order to live. Of course, Martha gets thrown into the mix, and several amazing things happen...

Chloe wins! Chloe? Chloe. I didn't really want Chloe to win. I really liked her stuff in the beginning, but I absolutely hated her collection for Fashion Week. I know the judges kept saying how much she "knows women" and understands a "woman's body", but my body doesn't look like a couch. I'm not a La-Z-Boy recliner and no way would I want to be covered with half of that dreadful stuff she used. Everything was so heavy and overdone. I know that fashion shows are supposed to be about drama and "the show", but I found her stuff borderline laughable. It looked like the 1980s barfed all over her collection. And I thought her 13th outfit was stupid, especially those pockets that Diana slaved over. I just have so many mixed feelings about Chloe winning because while I like her, I don't love her.  

And Santino...  

Tonight's double-dip was sure to be filled with some craziness, as the day is approaching half over, and the previews are becoming awfully telling. Well, at least that's what I thought. The Russian president and his wife have just survived an attack along with Mrs. Logan, all thanks to Aaron Pierce - go figure - and the Prez is gonna definitely have some bigtime 'splainin' to do when his wife comes calling.

As for Jack and the crew, they're on the lookout for what will probably be the first of many attacks with the weaponized nerve gas. Not that we think they'll fail at snagging each of the canisters as they are deployed or anything, right?

I wish it was next Wednesday already. I want to know who is going to win this thing! I thought that this episode was going to be a lot of filler and flashbacks, but they actually did a great job building the narrative thread (as far as a reality show can do that.) I'm not sure how I felt about the nicer and friendlier Santino. See what happens when someone watches themselves on TV and reads about themselves on the Internet? They start to pussy-foot around things. I liked the old Santino! We all loved the old Santino! Apparently, Santino doesn't want to be the man that everybody loves to hate, but he should. It's a great gig. Afterall, regardless of who wins or loses this season, everyone is going to remember Santino.

I was absolutely giddy when I heard what this week's competition would be. The designers get to create complete head-to-toe makeovers for each other. Yeah, I love makeover shows. Fun, fun, fun. Hmmm, not so fun. A lot of fighting on this week's episode and I think we all know who was at the center of it...Santino.