Oh, man. White Castle just rocketed up a few hundred notches in our book.

On 'Undercover Boss' (Sun., 9PM ET on CBS), when owner Dave Rife realized that he had an employee who was a great cook but hadn't had much support from his family, he gave him a $5000 scholarship to pursue his dreams.

"I believe in you, and White Castle believes in you," Rife told the boy. And we believe in you, too! Go get 'em!

Watch the video after the jump.

Of course, this was the series finale on NBC only. The show moves to CBS next season where it will become CSI: Medium Los Angeles. Or something.

Last night Allison had visions of her entire family being murdered. That didn't happen, of course, but she did end the season in a coma after having a stroke during surgery. My guess? She gets out of it next season, but not before some trippy thing happening while she's in the coma for an episode or two.

What did you think of this episode?

(S04E15) Do you remember what you were doing on May 16, 2004? Think hard, it's important. Seriously, that information could determine exactly how you feel about tonight's episode.

On May 16, 2004, The Sopranos aired an episode called "The Test Dream." Tony, reeling from an impending separation and problems in Mafia-town, went a little funny in the head and spent most of the episode engaged in the longest, most weirdly symbolic dream sequence in the history of television (until, that is, the show broke its own record two years later). If you remember, fans of the show were pretty angry; my father, for instance, shot out his screen, Elvis-style.

Anyway, I'm going to guess that you either loved that episode or hated it. How you felt about it probably informs how you felt about tonight's House. My own feelings about it are simple...

One of America's lamest reality shows has just announced the audition schedule for the second season of the show, which airs on ABC.

The first audition venue is in Los Angeles on March 18. The other dates and places are as follows: San Francisco, March 25; Chicago, March 31; New York City, April 4; Orlando, April 9; and Houston on April 13. Inventors have to be at the venue no later than 8am, so it's good that someone invented the alarm clock.

And I say this is one of the lamest show not because some of the inventions weren't good (the winner of the first season, who came up with a new baby car seat, is working with Evenflo, and that's great to hear), it's the fact that the judges are kind of hard to take, and some of the inventions they let get through to later rounds were...gah. Let's hope the second season is a little more satisfying (and please, editors, let's cut way down on all of the weepy stories and people talking about their DREAMS. Please?)

File this one under Bad Ideas. Donny Osmond has agreed to host a new game show for ABC that is in very, very poor taste. It's called The Great American Dream Vote.

Miraculously, Donny Osmond is not the problem here. The problem is the game: There are 8 contestants who tell a studio audience (and Donny) about their lifelong dream. Then, they make their case as to why their dream should be fulfilled. They "square off" and plead their case while the studio audience votes. Eventually, the audience will whittle the contestants down to just one who gets to have their dream come true. Sounds great. I'm sure there's nothing quite as exciting as watching someone realize they will not attain their lifelong dream.

Does anyone else think this sounds downright mean?

(S01E06) Despite their best efforts so far, the powers-that-be at the Village can't seem to break Number 6 and ascertain the reason as to why he resigned from being a spy. In this instance, the new Number 2 gets a call from (presumably) Number 1 who implores him to get information from Number 6. We see a clearly agitated Number 2 acknowledge to his boss that he "is not indispensable", so it would be safe to assume that more drastic measures will be taken to get Number 6 to talk.

We are then introduced to Number 14, an attractive female doctor who has developed a means to get Number 6 to talk via the combination of mind-altering drugs and dream analysis. In other words, Number 6 is knocked out and then placed on a table with electrodes hooked up to his head and the doctor administers a shot whereby we see his dreams on a television screen. Number 2 hopes that he can get the answer he is looking for so he can get Number 1 off his back.

ABC and auction site eBay are teaming up for what is ostensibly a reality show about helping people, but upon further inspection sounds like a long form commercial for eBay. The new show, which has the working title of Make it Happen, will focus on families who have big dreams but a lack of finances to make them come true. In swoops eBay, where the family will be able to auction off items they own in order to garner enough money to make whatever "fun and attainable" dreams they have come true. ABC apparently wants to keep the show light and fun, so people aren't allowed to have dreams of any serious nature. Essentially, this sounds like the television equivalent of being down on your luck and lugging your stereo to the pawn shop for cash. Of course, the payoff on this show will be much more, but I'm not sure I understand the allure of being asked to get rid of what you own in order to have your wish fulfilled.

[via TeevBlogger]

Let's hope the contestants on American Inventor have read the fine print.

According to this L.A Times article from last month, contestants on the show not only don't get a million dollar "prize" (it's actually an advance against future royalties), but they actually have to give ABC and the producers "exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license." Seems like a foolproof contract for the network and the people behind the show.

Of course, I'm sure the inventors will gladfully sign the contract, as long as they get some money and get to express their DREAMS and their PASSION. (Kidneys not included.)

[via TV Tattle]