When I read that there was a plot to kill Two and a Half Men's Jon Cryer, I thought it had to be a joke. Jon Cryer? Seriously, what could "Alan Harper" have done to piss somebody off so badly that they want him dead? Then I read the TMZ item again -- bearing in mind that it's TMZ -- and learned the FBI is investigating a threat on Jon Cryer's life. The FBI doesn't mess around. They're like the IRS, you know -- no sense of humor.

Apparently, Jon Cryer is involved in a very nasty custody dispute with his ex-wife. The situation is so intense that Cryer contacted the authorities because he believed someone was trying to kill him. The word "hitman" was used, and as bizarre as that sounds, people have been known to go to such extremes. Law enforcement took Jon's worries seriously and questioned his ex-wife about her involvement. Nobody has been arrested, but the FBI worked on the case for a week.

(S07E12) I had been really looking forward to this episode of NCIS ever since it was announced that Tony's dad -- the original Tony DiNozzo, Sr. -- would be on and played by veteran TV star Robert Wagner (Hart to Hart). Well, it was not a disappointment. Other than the fact that the mystery involving a couple of Saudi princes wasn't very complicated, it was a really good show. For more on the father and son reunion, follow me after the jump.

It seems that security at Honolulu International Airport dropped the ball and mixed film canisters from ABC's Lost in with regular luggage. Then the whole mess went through the X-ray machine, destroying the footage and requiring the show to reshoot scenes. Apparently the warning labels urging security not to X-ray the canisters didn't get the job done. The state's film office and the airlines have worked together to prevent future mishaps.

The loss was covered by insurance, and producers say that they are still on schedule, which is fortunate. There might be a revolt if they went back on that sixteen straight weeks promise after all the promotion it received. I'm hoping that instead of the costly reshoot, they blew the insurance check on booze and hookers and went with a crafty team of Korean animators to fill in the lost scenes. That's just nutty enough to work.

[ via tvtattle ]

(S02E10) I'm always a little wary when a half-hour sitcom decides to extend itself to a "special" one-hour edition. In many instances, the producers and writers want to introduce a new storyline or bring an existing one to some sort of conclusion. In many instances, these extended episodes turn out to be very disappointing. Not this time.

Watching Big Love is like watching someone else's weirdest dream. As you see Bill Henrickson do his best to keep his family happy, you almost forget that he's got THREE families, and no one can do what he's attempting to do without going literally insane.

How can you not? Between his youngest wife Margene begging and pleading for a car before finally getting a van, his middle wife Nicki planning an expensive birthday party at the posh Monte Cristo Hotel for their son Wayne and over a hundred guests, and getting his first wife Barb to take care of the "neighbor problem," who wouldn't want to scream in anguish? Of course, Bill didn't have to put himself in this situation, but then we wouldn't have a show to discuss, either.

This episode focused on how cunning and evil Roman Grant is. He explains the benefits of polygamy to the press, and says that he truly loves all of his 31 children and 187 grandchildren. (It would have been funny if the reporter asked him to name them, but I bet you he would have been able to do it without flinching.) In addition, he is still after Bill to tithe over 15% of his new store's revenues to the Juniper Creek compound, and Bill is worried that Roman might do something to harm his family, hence the installation of alarm systems in all three of his houses.

After Bill explodes over Nicki's party plans and how expensive it will be, he orders her to have the party in their home. To make matters more complicated, one of his store employees is threatened by apparently someone connected to Roman, who gets the message across that the 15% tithe is due. (The signs are definitely pointing to more "messages" being sent to Bill as the weeks roll on.)