office fans can get a little more online

from nbc:
NBC's comedy "The Office" will offer fans an exclusive "producer's cut" of the November 20th episode. On Tuesday, November 25th, users can log onto NBC.com to stream the expanded episode, which will include additional scenes and extra footage not shown in the broadcast version. Fans will be able to stream both the broadcast version and the web-only, expanded version on NBC.com

2 more New Haven Comcast HD adds

The two new HD networks can be found on the local Comcast lineup as follows:



· E! HD (Channel 284)

· Cartoon HD (Channel 287)

EM:HE coming to eastern Connecticut

Extreme Makeover Home Edition will do a build in Eastern Connecticut. The builder, Home Designs by Bruno, is holding a "pep rally" for volunteers at Foxwoods on Thurs (11-20) but isn't getting specific since the big "Door Knock" hasn't happened yet.
Typically, the show will notify four or five families in an area that they are under consideration, and then one lucky family gets the house while the others get bubkis.

New HD channels on Comcast

Comcast New Haven is adding five new HD networks:



· Fox Business HD (Channel 242)

· CNBC HD (Channel 243)

· Bravo HD (Channel 244)

· Encore HD (Channel 245)

· QVC HD (Channel 281)

The Pat Ferrucci controversy

In case you missed this, Register Entertainment Editor Pat Ferrucci wrote a review of David Archuleta's new album in last week's Weekend section, saying the self-titled album was "one of the worst records in recent memory." Then the s*** hit the proverbial fan when Archuleta fans picked up the piece on line and went nuclear. So we decided to interview P.F. so he could tell his side of the story. This is the biggest controversy at the Register since, well, since late last week. But that's a different story. Here's our Q&A:

Joe: Explain how this David Archuleta thing happened:
Pat: I'm not exactly sure. I wrote a review of the David Archuleta CD. It seems some of his fans have something in place from Google that tells them when new reviews are published. Mine was especially negative, so someone posted it on a Archuleta fan site. From there, droves of people came to the Register site to make comments about my inteligence, sexuality, etc.

Joe: What exactly did you say in your review that ticked off the entire David Y. Arent'-You-Getting-Us Nation?
Pat: I said the CD sucked. I was very blunt.

Joe: Is it true that you're a twisted, hateful, closeted-gay, music snob?
Music snob maybe. That's about it.

Joe: Many of David's fans seem to want to protect him from the harsh realities of life, as if he's 9 years old. What's that all about?
Pat: See, I think this is the creepiest part of it all. Here's a kid who voluntarily tried out for a show that's popular because it has judges that mock people. He then took a presumed boatload of money and made a CD that was sent out to critics. He knows he's going to get negative reviews. I'm guessing he doesn't care. And being 17 doesn't matter. He put something into the world to be judged. I shouldn't deal with it differently than I would the newest record from a 75-year-old. But his fans have a real scary mother complex. Lots of comments about him being an angel and such. One of the comments on the Register site even linked to his baby photos because, gosh darn it, I couldn't dis a CD by such a cute baby. Frightening.

Joe: Your tastes seem to run from the pedantic to the spurious, and I have no idea what those words mean. Tell us why you shouldn't be pilloried for the next six months by self-imposed shut-ins from all over the globe who worship a big-headed reality-show contestant?
Pat: I'm doing my big-head pose right now. I wish we could put that next to this. (Pat, gesturing with both arms, palms up, head rocking side to side) Anyway, people can pillorize; it's OK. On Friday a negative review of David Cook's disc will run. I assume more hate mail will come my way.

Joe: Are you sure you weren't trying to hammer David Cook and just got confused?
Pat: I don't want to hammer anyone, in any sense of that word.

Joe: I suppose you also loathe Dane Cook. I'm with you there.
Pat: Dane Cook sucks. Let me say it bluntly: Dane Cook is not funny and he sucks. I hate him more because he got to be in a movie with Jessica Alba.

Joe: Alba is very attractive. Would you "date" Paula Abdul, and by "date" I mean spend a drunken weekend with her in a Red Roof Inn near Parsippany, N.J.?
Pat: I don't want to go to New Jersey with anybody. And people associated with Paula end up dead in trunks, so ...

Joe: Thanks for your time today. I'm going to let you get back to your busy job of bashing Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, Cindy Lou Who and the Little Drummer Boy.

Fox announces winter programming

from Fox PR:
“24” IS BACK WITH A VENGEANCE WITH TWO-NIGHT, FOUR-HOUR EVENT

SUNDAY, JAN. 11 AND MONDAY, JAN. 12
“AMERICAN IDOL” RETURNS WITH TWO-NIGHT, FOUR-HOUR PREMIERE

TUESDAY, JAN. 13 AND WEDNESDAY, JAN. 14
INTRIGUING NEW DRAMA “LIE TO ME” DEBUTS WEDNESDAY, JAN. 21
JOSS WHEDON’S HIGHLY ANTICIPATED ACTION-THRILLER
“DOLLHOUSE” LAUNCHES FRIDAY, FEB. 13
GORDON RAMSAY’S “HELL’S KITCHEN” STARTS COOKING
THURSDAY, JAN. 29
HOUSE Shifts To Mondays Starting Jan. 19;

BONES Moves To Thursdays Jan. 15;
TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES Travels
To Fridays Feb. 13;
HOLE IN THE WALL Finds Its Fit on Sundays Beginning Jan. 18
The wait is almost over as FOX announces premiere dates of new and returning series as well as revisions to its 2008-2009 midseason schedule.
January starts with the not-to-be-missed blockbuster premieres of 24 and AMERICAN IDOL. As previously announced, the non-stop action begins and a new day dawns for JACK BAUER (Kiefer Sutherland) when 24 returns with an explosive two-night, four-hour season premiere Sunday, Jan. 11 and Monday, Jan. 12 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). AMERICAN IDOL, television’s No. 1 show, returns for Season Eight with a two-night, four-hour premiere event Tuesday, Jan. 13 and Wednesday, Jan. 14 (8:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
All-new episodes of HOUSE, BONES, TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES and HOLE IN THE WALL will air on new nights in midseason. Get real on Mondays with all-new episodes of HOUSE leading into real-time drama 24. Emmy-winning medical drama HOUSE moves to Mondays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and has its time period premiere Jan. 19 followed by the time period premiere of 24 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT).
FRINGE, the No. 1 new series of the season among Adults 18-49, will air in its regular time period Tuesdays (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) after AMERICAN IDOL starting Jan. 20.
LIE TO ME, the compelling new drama from the producers of 24, debuts Wednesday, Jan. 21 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) after AMERICAN IDOL and stars Tim Roth (“The Incredible Hulk,” “Reservoir Dogs”) as DR. CAL LIGHTMAN, the world’s leading deception expert who studies facial expressions and involuntary body language to discover not only if someone is lying, but why. When someone shrugs one shoulder, rotates a hand or raises the lower lip, Lightman knows he’s lying. Based on the real-life scientific discoveries of Paul Ekman, the series follows Lightman and his team of deception experts as they assist law enforcement and government agencies to expose the truth behind the lies.
BOOTH (David Boreanaz), BRENNAN (Emily Deschanel) and the Jeffersonian team will continue to dig up more murders when BONES moves to Thursdays (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) beginning Jan. 15 followed by more all-new episodes of KITCHEN NIGHTMARES (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). On Thursday, Jan. 29 (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT), Chef Gordon Ramsay steps into another kitchen to serve up a fifth course of HELL’S KITCHEN, the unscripted series that puts wannabe restaurateurs through a rigorous one-of-a-kind culinary boot camp.
On Friday, Feb. 13, FOX presents a thrilling new action-packed lineup featuring the return and time period premiere of TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT) and the highly anticipated series premiere of Joss Whedon’s DOLLHOUSE (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT). DOLLHOUSE reunites Whedon with Eliza Dushku (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), who stars as a member of a highly illegal underground group of individuals who have had their personalities wiped clean so they can be imprinted with any number of new personas.
Saturday staples COPS (8:00-8:30 and 8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT) and AMERICA’S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK (9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) continue in their regular time periods with all-new episodes. MADtv (11:00 PM-Midnight ET/PT) and TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN (Midnight-12:30 AM ET/PT) continue their late-night laughs with a mix of encore and original episodes.

Sundays find the right fit with the time period premieres of back-to-back episodes of HOLE IN THE WALL (7:00-7:30 and 7:30-8:00 PM ET/PT) beginning Jan. 18. Following HOLE IN THE WALL, Animation Domination continues with a mixture of encore and all-new episodes of THE SIMPSONS (8:00-8:30 PM ET/PT), KING OF THE HILL (8:30-9:00 PM ET/PT), FAMILY GUY (9:00-9:30 PM ET/PT) and AMERICAN DAD (9:30-10:00 PM ET/PT).
RECAP – FOX MIDSEASON SCHEDULE

MONDAY
Monday, Jan. 5:
7:30 PM-CC ET TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL (LIVE)
Monday, Jan. 12:
8:00-10:00 PM 24 (Season Premiere, Part 2)
Mondays, beginning Jan. 19:
8:00-9:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM 24 (Time Period Premiere)

TUESDAY
Tuesday, Jan. 13:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 1)
Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 20:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM FRINGE
WEDNESDAY
Wednesday, Jan. 14:
8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 2)
Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 21:
8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM LIE TO ME (Series Premiere)
THURSDAY
Thursday, Jan. 1:
7:30 PM-CC ET FEDEX ORANGE BOWL (LIVE)
Thursday, Jan. 8:
7:30 PM-CC ET FEDEX BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME (LIVE)
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 15:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM KITCHEN NIGHTMARES
Thursdays, beginning Jan. 29:
8:00-9:00 PM BONES
9:00-10:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN (Season Premiere)
FRIDAY
Friday, Jan. 2:
7:30 PM-CC ET ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL (LIVE)
Friday, Jan. 9:
8:00-10:00 PM FOX MOVIE SPECIAL: BRUCE ALMIGHTY
Fridays, beginning Jan. 16 (no change to lineup):
8:00-9:00 PM ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?
9:00-10:00 PM DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!
Fridays, beginning Feb. 13:
8:00-9:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES
(Time Period Premiere)
9:00-10:00 PM DOLLHOUSE (Series Premiere)
SATURDAY
Saturdays, beginning Jan. 3 (no change to lineup):
8:00-8:30 PM COPS
8:30-9:00 PM COPS
9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK
11:00 PM-Midnight MADtv
Midnight-12:30 AM TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN
SUNDAY
Sunday, Jan. 11:
8:00-10:00 PM 24 (Season Premiere, Part 1)
Sundays, beginning Jan. 18:
7:00-7:30 PM HOLE IN THE WALL (Time Period Premiere)
7:30-8:00 PM HOLE IN THE WALL (Time Period Premiere)
8:00-10:00 PM ANIMATION DOMINATION
THE SIMPSONS, KING OF THE HILL, FAMILY GUY and AMERICAN DAD)
[EDITOR’S NOTE: PRISON BREAK and ‘TIL DEATH will return to the schedule at a later date.]

Family Guy spinoff

Says Fox:
FOX ORDERS FULL SEASON OF “THE CLEVELAND SHOW”
Arianna Huffington (The Huffington Post) Joins Voice Cast in Recurring Role

Says me:
I don't know, I just don't see how this is good news. Fox's "Animation Domination" is just way overstated. I don't see any character on "Family Guy" that I'd want to see MORE of. (Baby Stewie included.) The show's all about absurdist, sensibility-assaulting jokes.

Is it a wacky season so far? Oh, yeah

Not many people were expecting CBS to being ruling the TV ratings not only in total numbers for young demos, but the financial crisis has apparently pushed viewers (young included) to the safe police procedurals and conventional sitcoms of CBS. "Worst Week" is one amusing (if plain old slapstick) example.
Strangely, NBC has given a full-season order to most critics' choice of worst show of the year, "Kath & Kim." See photo of the episode to air Nov. 13.

Green, Boogie, etc.

News briefs from the TV beat:

Former MTV shock-humor guy Tom Green will host his own environmental quiz show called "Go for the Green" on Planet Green, the high-def cable TV channel that I actually have at home and enjoy occasionally. The series starts Saturday at 8 p.m.

CNN.com is allowing you to customized your political race tracking this week. Just go to cnn.com/yourraces.

If you want to explore the roots of recent negative campaign ads and tactics, check out Nov. 11's "Frontline" on PBS, "Boogie Man": Says the promo: "FRONTLINE presents a spirited and revealing biography of Lee Atwater, the charming, Machiavellian godfather of modern take-no-prisoners Republican political campaigns. Through eye-opening interviews with Atwater's closest friends and adversaries, producer Stefan Forbes explores the life of the controversial political operative who mentored Karl Rove and George W. Bush, led the GOP to historic victories, and wrote the party's winning playbook."