Sometimes you come across a line in a column, an opinion, an observation, that is so mindblowingly wrong-headed that it leaves your mouth hanging open for a full 30 seconds. That's what happened to me when I read this list of the Shows That Died Too Young (great one season shows that shouldn't have been canceled) over at The New York Post. Talking about HBO's John From Cincinnati, the writer says this:

John [From Cincinnati] was not only the most creative program in the medium's sixty year history, but also some of the most mysterious.

Now, the second half of that quote is grammatically baffling, but we get the idea: JFC was the most creative show that has been on television in its 60 year history. Well, what do you think of that?

Early last month I posted a casting call sheet for the upcoming Battlestar Galactica prequel show, Caprica. In that list was a call for Amanda Graystone, a "surgeon with a volatile streak to her" who is "something of a double agent." Well, you can scratch that one off the list of openings, as Paula Malcomson (Trixie of Deadwood and Jerri of John From Cincinnati) has been cast in the role.

My interest in Caprica hinges on how Battlestar Galactica concludes; will I really want to know more about how it all began? I could see them putting us in a place that has us craving for more, though it's likely Caprica is meant to stand on its own and without having to follow too many rules set by the BSG events. Hopefully I'm wrong.

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

• Alvin & The Chipmunks - Funny, We Shrunk The Adults
• Becker - Season 1
• Doctor Who - The Time Warrior and Timelash
• Father Knows Best - Season 1
• John From Cincinnati - Complete Series
• Law and Order: SVU - Season 6
• Martin - Season 4
• Murder, She Wrote - Season 8
• Stingray - Complete Series
• That 70's Show - Season 8
• Tomorrow - John, Paul, Tom, and Ringo

First it was Deadwood, then it was John From Cincinnati. Now, it seems, David Milch has decided to get back to his cop roots with Last of the Ninth.

Last of the Ninth is a cop drama that focuses on the rampant corruption of the NYPD in the 1970's

Wow, another year has gone by. I just started getting used to writing "2007" on my checks last week and here we are in 2008. Happy New Year everyone! And don't tase me, bro!

I think this was actually a really good year for television, even if it does look like it's going to a short season. I think the best of the year and the worst of the year really stand out. Here's my list below. I'm sure you have your own opinions.

Best

1. Mad Men (AMC): Simply put, there was no better drama this past season (sorry Sopranos). This isn't just "great television," it might just change what the networks might put on in the next few years. It drops us into a world (in this case, a top ad agency in 1960 New York City) in a way very few shows are able to do. It has a flawless cast, intelligent writing, and a jawdropping, orgasmic production design. With this, AMC might just become the new HBO (they passed on this show but put on John From Cincinnati - ahem). Great to see it get a second season and a bunch of Golden Globe/SAG Award nominations. (And here's why Jon Hamm deserves a Golden Globe and an Emmy.)

OK, so the show isn't coming back, that's no reason to go out and get drunk.

Austin Nichols, who played the mysterious (was he still mysterious at the end? I stopped watching after three episodes) John on HBO's John From Cincinnati, was arrested in Jackson, MI at 2:30am for driving under the influence. According to TMZ.com, he was driving the wrong way down a one way street, was stopped by police who gave him a breathalyzer test after smelling alcohol, and brought to the police station.

The best part of this story is the mug shot. I mean, look at him. Doesn't he just look really John From Cincinnati-ish?

[via TV Tattle]

OK, it seems to be "David Milch Day" here at TV Squad, with petitions and spoofs and all that. Now comes word about the new show that Milch is doing with HBO (they certainly aren't wasting any time, eh?).

The new Milch show isn't Deadwood (sorry fans), it's a cop show, centering on a Vietnam veteran who returns to the United States and joins the New York City police force in the 1970s. This is actually a show that Milch and HBO have been working on even before Deadwood or John From Cincinnati, but now they have the time to work on it.

No word yet on whether this cop will levitate or not, but considering it's Milch and gritty 70's cops and HBO, expect a lot of swearing.

As Rich reported this morning, there's already a petition online to save HBO's John From Cincinnati from the canceled show graveyard. I doubt this is going to work, because of the reaction from viewers and the fact that David Milch probably wants to go on and do something else. But the gang at Best Week Ever has a great idea if it were to come back: change it to John From WKRP In Cincinnati!

OK, the joke doesn't go beyond changing the opening of the show, adding Loni Anderson, "Al Bundy" and (in a funny moment) Brian Austin Greene (?), but it's still a clever idea. I would have loved to have seen what this John guy could have done to those turkeys in the WKRP Thanksgiving episode.

"As God is my witness I thought turkeys could fly." That sounds like one of John's weird quotes.

(S01E10) We got three great things in what I suspect was the last episode of John from Cincinnati ever:

1. Dylan
2. The Zip is back.
3. Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!

Seriously though, to the three of us left watching this show, WTF?

• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• NBC has a pre-season football game at 8, the Seahawks vs. the Chargers.
• TLC has Diana: Last Days of a Princess at 8.
• TNT has a new episode of The Company at 8 (repeated at 10).
• Also at 8: Disney has a new Suite Life of Zack & Cody, then a new Kim Possible.
• At 9, HGTV has a new Design Star.
• There's a new Iron Chef America on Food Network at 9, then a new Throwdown with Bobby Flay.
• Spike has a new Kill Point at 9.
• HBO has new episodes of John From Cincinnati, Entourage, and Flight of the Conchords, starting at 9.
• USA has a new 4400 at 9, then a new Dead Zone.
• At 9:30, A&E has a new Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, followed by a new Two Coreys.
• At 10, Fox News has a new Half Hour News Hour.
• History Channel has a new Ice Road Truckers at 10.
• Comedy Central has the Flavor Flav Roast at 10.
• ESPN2 has coverage of the Little League World Series at 10.

Check your local TV listings for more.

Welcome to Subtle Subtitles. For those of you who are uninitiated to the purpose of this feature, we're asking you to come up with your funniest quote or description for what's going on in the screen grab we choose for the week. Winners are announced in the following Friday's contest.

1st place to DJ:

2nd place to Nik: "kYLe, wE haVe youR beLLYbuTton. LeAVe $55,000 bY thE rEcycLE bIN iF yoU wAnt t0 sEe it aGaiN. reGaRds, mR. yx. pS iT mISSes yoU."
3rd place to Bus: "Having a plumber as a father means you never get the race car bed you've always wanted."

This week, a scene from the latest episode of John from Cincinnati ...

(S01E09) Damn it. With Zippy out of the picture, I've got no one to talk to about this week's episode. Teddy? Bad Ass Teddy? Do either of you have any insight you want to share, or are you too busy getting ready for the annual Teddy Bear Picnic? If you're looking for a caterer, look no further than your own backyard. Ramon can grill up a slaughterhouse's worth of fatback in under an hour.

• At 7, NBC has a new Dateline.
• ION (formerly PAX) has the suspense movie Killer Wave at 7.
• At 8, CBS has a new Big Brother.
• The CW has the new reality show Schooled at 8.
• Lifetime has a new Side Order of Life at 8, then a new State of Mind.
• ABC Family has two new episodes of Fallen starting at 8.
• TV Guide Channel has Sci-Fi: Comic-Con Unleashed at 8.
• At 9, Spike has a new Kill Point.
• HGTV has a new Design Star at 9.
• HBO has a new John From Cincinnati at 9, followed by new episodes of Entourage and Flight of the Conchords.
• At 9:30, A&E has a new Gene Simmons' Family Jewels, followed by a new Two Coreys.
• At 10, E! has a new episode of The Simple Life Goes To Camp.
• History Channel has a new Ice Road Truckers at 10.
• Showtime has the season finale of Meadowlands at 10.
• Lifetime has a new Army Wives at 10.
• Also at 10: Comedy Central has a new Mind of Mencia, then a new American Body Shop.

Check your local TV listings for more.

(S01E08) Zippy, Zippy, Zippy, can we talk? I'm hoping you can telepathically help me out here. You're the great "cruise director" after all. We've got two episodes left, and we're heading towards something big. Shaun is going to be "gone," Barry (and his buddy Teddy) are building a theater while David Milch yells mean things at them over "The Tennessee Waltz," Bill and Freddie have teamed up and John has gone all cosmic internet stalker with the help of a trance-like Cass. Help a sister out, Zip. What the hell is going on here?