Mark Feuerstein was a bit worried about Matt Lauer's cameo on 'Royal Pains.' Hosting is different from acting, he explained Wednesday on 'Today' (weekdays, 7AM on NBC), and Feuerstein didn't know how well Lauer would make the transition. As it turns out, he shouldn't have been too concerned.

"Matt is the consummate host on the 'Today' show, but we didn't know how it would go on 'Royal Pains,' acting in a one-hour dramedy," said Feuerstein. After Lauer's scene was shot, it was a different story. "I had to hear from every member of the crew how prepared he was, how well he improv-ed and was off-the-cuff, and how nice he was to everyone on set," said Feuerstein. "It's annoying. He's a little too perfect."

Somebody wise once said that when it comes to movies and television (theater, too), casting is essential. If you get it right, you're half-way home. Recently, that proved true on CBS's 'NCIS' with the casting of Robert Wagner as Tony DiNozzo's dad. Perfect casting.

Here's another instance where the producers seem to have nailed it. 'Royal Pains' has cast Henry Winkler to play Hank and Evan's father, Eddie Lawson. Yes, Henry Winkler. The Fonz from 'Happy Days,' but if you know you're Henry Winkler IMDB listing, you know he's done so much more than just Arthur Fonzarelli.

In fact, in a case where the casting was off, on the CBS sitcom 'Out of Practice,' he was Stockard Channing's ex and the father of Christopher Gorham, Paula Marshall and Ty Burrell. It never quite worked.

If you live in the Los Angeles area, you know that all you have to do is spit in any random direction and there is a one in five chance that your loogie will hit a celebrity. If it does hit a celebrity, there is a one in three chances that he'll beat you into a bloody pulp and a one in two chance he'll actually face an assault charge for it.

Greg Benson, creator of the viral video empire Mediocre Films, decided to reward the random TV celebrities he ran into with a crisp one dollar bill. That's the difference between Hollywood and the rest of the free world. When we open our wallets for people on the street, we don't necessarily know that they are going to use it for drugs and/or alcohol.

USA has to be rather pleased. Last week, the top rated show on cable was Burn Notice. And their newest series Royal Pains is hanging in there impressively in fourth place, creating a powerful Thursday night lineup. As a reward, word has it that USA has renewed both Burn Notice and Royal Pains.

I first fell into Royal Pains because I have this bizarre fascination with the Hamptons. I hadn't even heard of it until a few years ago, and now it's just fascinating to me. Here's a place full of people I will never get to mingle with, living and partying somewhere that I will never go. It's Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous with a plot.

Burn Notice I've not watched because I didn't jump in when it first started (regular readers may remember that I have a thing about that), though I should probably just get over it and check it out. It has Bruce Campbell in it, and he's always a blast and I've heard nothing but good things about it. Regardless, it's more good news for cable broadcasting while the networks keep crying away the summer.

Summer TV continues to heat up the small screen with USA's new dramedy series 'Royal Pains.' The show stars Mark Feurestein ('Good Morning, Miami') as a down on his luck Manhattan doctor who heads for the Hamptons with his brother, played by Paulo Costanzo. After a few freak accidents, Hank suddenly finds himself with a new life, career and -- most of all -- a new home.

So far critics have been mostly kind to 'Royal Pains,' which airs Thursdays at 10 after 'Burn Notice.' The NY Post called the premiere "perfect, mindless, summer fun," while the Chicago Sun Times said 'Royal Pains' is "just what the doctor ordered for a shameless seasonal fling."

(S01E01) Never ever, ever go into work on your day off. It could just cost you your job. Especially if in doing so, the man who's name on the building dies and it in any way can be blamed on you. Just a friendly tip from the blogosphere. In these tough economic times, because I just had to start an article about a show set in the Hamptons with that, there's nothing better for people struggling to make ends meet than a show about people whose biggest struggle is ... well nothing, really.

I went into this show kind of expecting to be too annoyed by the fact that it's in the Hamptons to enjoy it, but dammit, I really started liking it. A big part of that is thanks to the dynamic between Mark Fuerstein and Paulo Costanza. Fuerstein, as Hank Lawson, is our lead who did the whole guy dying losing his job thing. And Constanza as his brother Evan, is the kind of guy who can breeze into a German Consulate's party with a bad accent and a fake ID.

Sing with me: here's a story about a doctor who is busy caring for rich folks in New York... Okay, it doesn't have the bouncy tune of a Sherwood Schwartz theme song, but this new USA show sounds like fun.

USA has picked up Royal Pains, a new summer series starring Mark Feuerstein as Hank Lawson, M.D., a doctor who is on-call to some of the most demanding patients around, the richie-riches who live in the fashionable Hamptons of Long Island.

There are a few reasons to be psyched about this new drama. For starters, it's coming from the same network that brings us Psych, not to mention Burn Notice, Starter Wife and In Plain Sight. In other words, USA has been doing very well in developing idiosyncratic, interesting comedy-drama series. There's no reason to think that Royal Pains will be a dud.

USA has recruited Mark Feuerstein for one of its new projects. The actor was recently cast as the lead in Royal Pains, a 90-minute pilot for the cable network. As Bob reported back in March, Royal Pains is one of four upcoming series that USA is currently developing. Feuerstein will play Hank Lawson, a former ER doctor who reluctantly takes a job as an on-call physician to wealthy residents of the Hamptons.

Jace Alexander, the director behind the pilot episode of USA's Burn Notice, has signed on to direct the Royal Pains pilot, which is encouraging news for the series.

I was pleasantly surprised by 3 lbs, a medical drama that is making an early appearance on CBS since Smith failed earlier this fall. I've seen a few promos for it on CBS lately and they really don't do it justice-- which could spell disaster for this outstanding show. The title, by the way, refers to the weight of a human brain.

3 lbs stars Stanley Tucci, who was most recently seen in The Devil Wears Prada, and Mark Feuerstein, last seen in this Lazy Sunday spoof and also on Good Morning, Miami (3 lbs is far better for him). Feuerstein plays Dr. Jonathan Singer, a brain surgeon who likes to get to know the souls of his patients before he operates on their brains. Tucci plays Dr. Doug Hanson, a brilliant neurosurgeon who is cold as ice toward his patients and everyone around him. Let me say this right off the top: the casting is perfect!

With Kidnapped shuffled to a new night to finish out its run, and Smith pulled from the schedule completely, NBC and CBS have a couple slots to fill. The Emmy-winning Medium will return to NBC for its third season sometime in mid November, taking over the Wednesday at 10PM slot. CBS will fill Tuesday at 10PM with 3 Lbs starting on November 14th.

3 Lbs is about the relationship between a brilliant, but arrogant, neurosurgeon, and the rising star that works for him. Originally it was to star Dylan McDermott, but now will feature Stanley Tucci (The Devil Wears Prada, Murder One) and Mark Feuerstein (West Wing, Good Morning Miami). I'm not sure about Feuerstein in this role, we'll have to wait and see, but I'll give anything with Stanley Tucci in it a look. This character sounds like he could have a little Richard Cross in him, which would be a good thing.