Let's talk 'Lost': Well done

Let's talk about last night's "Lost" episode, "Everybody Loves Hugo," below.

HBO's 'Treme' gets a second season

"Treme" has been picked up for a second season, HBO announced Tuesday.

“I can’t think of another show that is more emblematic of what we aspire to be as a network than 'Treme.'" Michael Lombardo, president of HBO Programming. "In the tradition of 'The Wire,' David Simon and Eric Overmeyer have embarked on an exploration of the soul of one of the world’s most unique cities through the lives of an exquisitely crafted cast of characters. We are thrilled that the press has recognized the profound artistry and intelligence of this show and are eager to see where David and Eric take us in a second season.”

Production on Season 2 will begin in New Orleans in the fall, the network said.

"Treme" premiered Sunday; my review is here.

HBO's press release is below.

What does the future hold for 'Spartacus' and 'Curb'?

A couple of news items on shows in limbo:

"Spartacus: Blood and Sand," which airs its Season 1 finale Friday, has been a hit by cable standards. It may only get about a million viewers per week, but based on anecdotal evidence, they're pretty rabid viewers.

For myself and a fair number of friends and readers, it's clear that this gladiator drama is addictive (and I'll be writing more about "Spartacus'" enjoyable first season on Thursday). And Starz has already renewed "Spartacus" for a second season, but what happens next is a little unclear.

Production on Season 2 of the drama is on hold while star Andy Whitfield seeks treatment for cancer. A recent news item on NY Mag's Vulture blog said that Starz is considering a "Spartacus: Blood and Sand" prequel miniseries in order to have something "to fill their January hole."

A source close to the show who asked not to be identified said that a possible prequel miniseries was just one of "multiple scenarios" that are being considered. The prequel miniseries "may happen and may not," the source said. Nothing has been decided, the source noted.

Again, I'll post some thoughts on the first season of "Spartacus" in a couple of days.

Regarding another cable show...

There's no official word yet, but it's expected that there will be another season of HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" at some point. And I heard from a reliable source that part of the production for the new season will take place in New York. (A representative for HBO would not confirm that Season 8 of "Curb" is officially a go or that any filming will take place in the Big Apple.)

Jennifer Beals happy to be home for Chicago's pilot season

Jennifer Beals, who has been shooting the Fox TV pilot "Ride-Along" in Chicago this month, is very glad to be back.

"It's my hometown and it's beautiful and my mom's here," Beals said Monday on a break  between scenes being shot at Gibson's Steakhouse on Rush Street. "The first couple of days I probably drove the driver crazy, swooning over the architecture."

Beals plays Teresa, a Chicago police official trying to root out corruption in the city and Jason Clarke ("Brotherhood") plays Jarek, her former partner and a detective "with a good sense of humor who likes to kick down doors," according to Clarke. (Previous stories about "Ride-Along" are here and here.)

Teresa is no shrinking violet either.

"It's not something you see very often, on television or in film -- a strong female character who's intelligent, who also has some vulnerability," Beals said of her "Ride-Along" role. "I think being on 'The L Word' for six years, I got really spoiled, taking [the importance of the female characters] completely for granted."

Clarke has been attempting to master the accent of his character, who goes through partners like Illinois goes through governors. For the proper Chicago pronunciations, he's been consulting a dialogue coach and the show's Chicago Police Department consultant, Det. John L. Folino Jr.

"And the Teamsters," Clarke added. He's been trying to steer clear of all the tempting fried foods, however. "I'm sticking to the lettuce. Like a rabbit," he said with a laugh.

In addition to "Ride-Along," which also stars Delroy Lindo, Matt Lauria, Todd Williams, Billy Lush, Devin Kelly and Manny Montana, other TV pilots being filmed here in April include "The Line" and "Pleading Guilty," though only "Ride-Along" will be based in Chicago full-time if it gets picked up.

Fun trivia fact: Clarke starred in "Brotherhood" with Jason Isaacs, the star of "Pleading Guilty," which is based on a novel by Scott Turow and executive produced by "Bones" creator Hart Hanson. All of which is creating a familial atmosphere at a certain Chicago hotel, where many from the pilot contingents are staying.

"I see more industry people in the lobby of our hotel than I do in L.A.," joked "Ride-Along" creator and Rockford native Shawn Ryan.

(A couple of notes: I'll have more coverage of these shows if they get picked up. And the image above is from "Lie to Me," on which Beals has had a recurring role.)

'Glee' hits some dodgy notes but it's still hard to resist

"Glee" is a critic-proof show. Anything old fogies like me say about it is unlikely to sway either its detractors or its fans.

And even for this viewer, the show can elicit wildly different reactions within the course of one episode. Sometimes there are dull musical numbers that almost force me to reach for the remote, yet the cast is often working at such a high level — musically, comedically and even emotionally — that they're able to sell the weaker moments and lift the more well-crafted material.

Coco loco? O'Brien takes his late-night show to TBS

Finally, Coco has a new home.

TBS announced that Conan O'Brien will begin hosting a late-night show on the cable network starting in November.

“In three months I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly,” O'Brien said in a TBS press release.

At first glance, TBS is an unusual choice for O'Brien. The conventional thinking had him moving to Fox or even FX, and certainly Fox would have given him a high-profile perch from which to take on his late-night rivals. My Tribune colleague Phil Rosenthal has more on why Coco didn't end up going to Fox, as does Josef Adalian from The Wrap.

"Fox would've been great," a source told Adalian. "There was probably a deal to be made, but in the middle of this whole process, TBS came in. And they were very aggressive."

But TBS already has a late-night beachhead-- "Lopez Tonight" -- that the network is clearly hoping to build on (the downside for George Lopez is that his show will get bumped back to midnight E.T. to make way for Coco's 11 p.m. E.T. show).

In building its "very funny" brand, TBS has come up with a few original series, most notably the ensemble comedy "My Boys" and the conventional family sitcom "Tyler Perry's House of Payne." How the edgier Coco will fit in with the network that, not long ago, aired Frank Caliendo's unfunny variety show and "The Bill Engvall Show" remains to be seen.

But it's quite possible that moving to a cable network that really wants to raise its profile and establish its comedy brand is the right choice for Coco. I can't imagine the network will spare any expense in promoting the new late-night show, and while Fox seemed ambivalent about hiring him, he will be a much bigger fish in the TBS pond. Plus if Conan can do a cameo on a Tyler Perry show, then hey, maybe everybody will emerge a winner. 

TBS' press release on Conan's new show is below. 

Let's talk 'Supernatural': '99 Problems'

Let's talk about "99 Problems," last night's episode of "Supernatural," below. 

HBO's 'Treme' is a passionate, prickly tribute to New Orleans

It's hard to imagine embattled post-Katrina New Orleans getting a more loving visual tribute than the one it gets in "Treme" (9 p.m. Central Sunday HBO, three stars).

Scattered throughout this sometimes frustrating series are scenes that will make you love the city even if you've never been there: a funeral procession winding through a stately old cemetery; exuberant parades through a flood-ravaged neighborhoods; a group of Mardi Gras Indians giving an impassioned send-off to a dead friend.

"Treme," which is set three months after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city in 2005, positively revels in these moments, and its reverent depiction New Orleans' musical culture is superb and even joyous at times. And anyone who has seen David Simon's rightly acclaimed TV shows knows that joy is not a word frequently associated with them.

Simon, who created "Treme" with Eric Overmyer, has always been a stickler for getting the smallest details about specific communities right, whether they're musicians in New Orleans, Marines in Iraq ("Generation Kill") or drug dealers and cops in Baltimore ("The Wire"). The attention to detail in "Treme" is admirable, but at times (especially during the extensive yet enjoyable musical sequences) it's hard not to wonder if the series' creators may have been better off creating a documentary about the city's musical scene.

Depicting the spirit of a particular place or transmitting the vibe of a jam session -- those are indeed accomplishments, but the individual narratives of "Treme" have to take root for the drama to succeed. Where "Treme" runs into problems is in its uneven depiction of characters, who sometimes come off as didactic or one-dimensional.

As someone who spent years writing almost exclusively about music, I have a soft spot for the music fanatics of the world, but if there was a way I could have magically removed Davis McAlary (Steve Zahn), a New Orleans musician and deejay, from the "Treme" narrative, I would have. Perhaps he was meant to be a charming rogue, but little about this arrogant, obnoxious character was winning or even tolerable. (Well, McAlary does think Professor Longhair is a god, so perhaps the character is not entirely beyond redemption.)  

When a street musician harangues tourists from Wisconsin, when McAlary is taunts his gay neighbors, when a college professor (John Goodman) tears into a comically villainous straw man (i.e., a callous and effete British journalist), that's where "Treme" becomes shrill and loses the melody, if you will. Countless documentaries, articles and books have made the points that "Treme" makes yet again -- that the New Orleans police department leaves much to be desired, that the city's authorities are often inept when they're not corrupt and that the government response to Katrina's aftermath was inadequate and haphazard at best.

It's not that anyone's fury over the treatment of New Orleans should go away, but "Treme" has trouble, at times, channeling that anger and frustration into compelling narratives about specific people. Yet by the third episode of the three that HBO sent, the show had begun to find a rhythm, and the sometimes sprawling narrative (which will unfold over 10 episodes in the show's first season) had begun to gel in a promising way. 

In a very strong cast, Khandi Alexander and Clarke Peters are standouts as proud New Orleans natives looking for friends and loved ones as they rebuild their lives. Wendell Pierce's character, a horn player named Antoine, doesn't get much to do aside from hustle for gigs, but my goodness, what gigs they are (at one point, he plays alongside New Orleans great Kermit Ruffins with Elvis Costello in the audience).

Kim Dickens is also a standout as struggling restaurateur Janette Desautel -- food matters to her in the way that breathing oxygen matters to the rest of us. Janette loves New Orleans cuisine the way that Antoine loves his trombone -- life without it would be unimaginable.

That passion is what redeems "Treme" and suffuses its most moving, memorable moments. Simon's series are driven by anger over injustices, and "Treme" is no exception. But "Treme" is also driven by love -- an abiding love for what was almost lost and what still needs our care and attention. 

A new 'Lost' podcast and a few more thoughts on the island

I have a couple of things I want to mention.

First: The latest "Lost" podcast is below, along with an embed of "Happily Ever After," one of the best "Lost" episodes in many a moon, according to me and my fellow "Orientation: Ryan Station" podcasters, Ryan McGee of Zap2it's Guide to Lost and James Poniewozik of Time magazine. We talked for over an hour and had a great time discussing the profound and enjoyable themes at the heart of this heart-filled, Desmond-centric episode. I would like to publicly apologize to James for not making any unintentionally hilarious remarks, as I did last time he guested on "Ryan Station." I blame the lack of sleep on post-"Lost" days.

Happily Ever After

You can download the podcast from this site, listen to it and watch the episode here, grab the podcast on iTunes or listen to it on Ryan's site.

The second thing is: "Lost" can't end.

I know, everyone is under the impression that the show's series finale will air May 23. Well... about that. Heads up, ABC: You're going to have to keep making the show for a while. Three more seasons should do the trick. I think that's a reasonable request.

It's not just that I'm still infected with the Desmond-related euphoria induced by last night's great episode. It's just that I'm having way too much fun with "Lost." I have a blast doing these podcasts with Ryan and our weekly guests. Of course, I enjoy watching the show itself (even when I grumble, I enjoy having something to grumble about). But I also like thinking about "Lost," writing about "Lost," reading the brilliant, funny and insightful comments that readers leave, and I especially love perusing the reviews of TV writers such as James, Ryan, Alan Sepinwall, Tom and Lorenzo, Jace Lacob, Noel Murray and Jeff Jensen. (I'm sure I'm forgetting other critics and TV writers that I read every week, this is just a partial list of favorites. Also, how can we forget "Lost" lolcats?)

I guess when the show ends, I'll get a significant percentage of my life back. But when it does, there's going to be a big, island-shaped hole in my week.

"Lost" is a show that stretches our brains (and sometimes makes our hearts grow three sizes larger). It's highly enjoyable to intellectually contend with the show's many dizzying themes and ideas. But as "Battlestar Galactica" (RIP) did at its best, "Lost" at its best moves me. To be moved and thrilled and challenged in one hour is such a treat. And it's good to know that so many other people out there are as emotionally engaged by it as I am.

My favorite "Lost" recap today came from Todd VanDerWerff of the LA Times. As I said on Twitter, I felt as though he took all my reactions to "Happily Ever After" and expressed them better than I did in my review of the episode.

The room filled with dust both times I read Todd's post today. That must have been why my eyes threatened to start watering. Or maybe it had something to do with how beautifully Todd conveyed what it's like to not just love "Lost" but to love good storytelling in any medium:

"Imagine that you actually are doing a puzzle. Imagine that you're coming up on the end of your last session with some 5,000-piece behemoth. Maybe you don't have a box to compare to, so you're not entirely sure what the picture's supposed to be. You've just had your wits and a sense that if you started with the corners and then the edges and worked your way inward, you'd be fine. Now, you're coming up on the end. ... Fewer than 100 pieces remain, and you're working them in as you can, but you're starting to realize there are more holes than there are pieces. You've got 100 holes, but you only have 80 pieces. The puzzle is going to have some holes, is going to be incomplete. And no matter how much you search your house for those last few pieces, you're not going to find them, not in a way that makes you feel the rush of finishing that puzzle.

"But step back a little bit, and you can still see what was supposed to go in those 20 blank spaces. You can tell that that was supposed to be a bit of cloud and that a deer's hoof. ... Your mind can fill in the blanks, and you're left with an appreciation both of the picture as a whole and of all the work you put into it, all of the time you spent enjoying it and figuring out where you were, of orienting yourself. I view 'Lost' similarly. Heck, I view television itself similarly....

"I certainly don't want to tell any of you who are watching this final season and demanding more answers that you're wrong to watch the show that way. Everyone watches TV for their own reasons. All I can do is tell you why I watch it, and I watch it because I want to see worlds I believe in, no matter how ridiculous, characters I care about, no matter how they end up mired in metaphysical conflicts from beyond our reality. I want to see a man realize that the only thing worth fighting for is the love of a woman he's never met. I want to see another man who keeps chasing death because he thinks it's the only way to find purpose. I want to see a doctor slowly realizing that there's more to the strange events swirling around him in two worlds, a sad musician pull scientific genius out of thin air.

"The people on 'Lost' aren't real, obviously, but I want to believe they could be, that they're living in a universe just around the corner. I want to see that smooth cut from Desmond grasping Penny's hand to his eyes opening back on the Island, the look of joy on his face when it happens, a realization that some things matter more than others. Does it matter to me if the puzzle has its holes? No. Because what's there is something I desperately want to see."

Yes.

Sponsored Link: Amazon's Lost Store

Let's talk 'Lost': Emergency contact

Let's talk below about "Happily Ever After," Tuesday's episodes of "Lost." By the way, the podcast for last week's episode, "The Package," is here.

'Sarah' shares her feelings about 'Chuck': Yvonne Strahovski speaks

Yvonne Strahovski has been sleeping a lot.

Sarah Walker, her character on "Chuck," is certainly a woman of action -- when not busting up spy rings, she's often busting the heads of villains with her wicked fighting skills.

But since the third season of the NBC spy show wrapped production three weeks ago, Strahovski has been taking a break. Being Sarah is hard work.

"After eight months of 'Chuck,' it really takes it out of me," the actress said in a Monday phone conversation. 

She doesn't have any firm post-season plans -- there is one potential project in the works, but she couldn't say what it was. But she will be heading to to her native Australia soon for the premiere of a film she appears in, "I Love You Too" (to answer your next question, she thinks the film will get released in North America but she wasn't sure).

In the Q&A; below, the actress answered some burning questions I had (and a few that fans had) after Monday's pivotal episode of the show, which returns with six new episodes April 26. Questions are in bold type, answers are in regular type. 

By the way, the interview with "Chuck" executive producer Chris Fedak that is referenced below is here and here.

What did you think of how Chuck and Sarah finally got together? Was it a relief? Was it a big deal in terms of your character?

Yeah, I think it's a huge relief for everyone. It's like the natural progression of what should happen. I think there's only so many times we could drag it out where they didn't [get together]. There are only so many obstacles Chuck and Sarah can face. I think it's really great and I think the fans are going to love it.

I think there was a pent-up demand among the fans for this to happen. There was a big to-do when Sarah and Shaw got together. Is that something you followed at all, or is the online chatter something you try to stay away from?

Blagojevich done with TV after 'Apprentice'? Don't count on it

Is Rod Blagojevich done with television? Don't count on it.

In a conference call with members of the media on Tuesday, Blagojevich, who was ejected on Sunday from "The Celebrity Apprentice," said he's got another "potential" reality show in the works and he's said he's also participating in a documentary.

'Chuck' vs the big developments: More from Fedak and thoughts on the 'Other Guy'

Let's talk about "Chuck Versus the Other Guy," Monday's episode of the NBC show. Don't read the post below unless you've seen the episode.

'Caprica' actress rides with 'Sons of Anarchy'

Paula Malcolmson is going to roll with the "Sons of Anarchy" in the FX show's third season, according to a source close to the show.  

Malcolmson, a.k.a. Amanda Graystone on "Caprica" and Trixie on "Deadwood," has signed on for an eight-episode arc in the new season of "Sons of Anarchy." She'll be playing a character named Maureen.

Talk about bias in the media -- I must confess that I'm predisposed to like this character already. And it's not just the name -- Malcolmson brings a feisty energy to all her roles, and I can't wait to see her mix it up with Katey Sagal, Charlie Hunnam, Ron Perlman and the rest of the "Sons" cast.

Production on the third season of "Sons of Anarchy" begins in about three weeks. 

That season won't air on FX until September, but a bit more casting news has already leaked out: Kenneth Johnson, who played Lem on "The Shield," will be back in a six-episode arc to reprise his role as the Tacoma chapter's Kozik, a Sons of Anarchy club member who has some kind of twisted history with Tig (Kim Coates).

Trump fires Blago on 'Celebrity Apprentice'

Former Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich was ejected from NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" on Sunday, after yet another display of cluelessness, evasion and arrogance.

Blago's worst enemies on the show weren't his teammates. He was done in by his inability to use technology, his addiction to political doublespeak and his inability to admit mistakes. If his appearance on this show was meant to buff up his image in the public eye, it's hard to see how showing America his most slippery qualities did him any good.

A 'Chuck' game changer: Intel from Chris Fedak on what's to come for the spy guy

UPDATE: Here is Part 2 of my interview with Chris Fedak. It's best to read it after you've seen the April 5 episode of "Chuck."

What a difference three years have made.

Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) used to be a smart, nerdy underachiever who worked at an electronics store and played a lot of videogames with his friends.

He's still smart and lovably nerdy, but there's a new assertiveness to the lead character of NBC's spy dramedy “Chuck” (7 p.m. Central Monday, WMAQ-Ch. 5).

As the show's viewers know, Chuck has finally reached his goal -- after years of training and undercover operations, he's a real spy (the gig at the Buy More has been a cover identity for some time).

But some things haven't changed -- Bartowski (Zachary Levi) still doesn't have the girl of his dreams, fellow spy Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski).

And the show itself, which was rescued by a fan campaign last year, is once again experiencing ratings troubles.

And that's a shame, because despite Season 3's wobbly spots, Monday's exciting “Chuck” outing -- which was going to be the Season 3 finale until NBC ordered six additional episodes -- is well worth watching. When this show gets its unique mixture of heart, humor and adventure just right, it's extremely satisfying and a great deal of fun.

In other words, if you haven't given this show a chance lately, you should.(Update: Check out the Watch Chuck Live and We Heart Chuck fan sites to find out more about current efforts to save the show.)

I recently talked to "Chuck" co-creator and executive producer Chris Fedak about the sometimes rocky evolution of the show in its third season and what fans can do to help it get a fourth season.

The interview below has been edited, and in a few places, rearranged (mainly to put facts about the last third of the season at the end of the post for those who don't want to see them). There are no spoilers in the first section. Fedak's teasers for the rest of the season (which resumes with the final six episodes of Season 3 on April 26) are in the second section.

And yeeikes, there are some big developments coming up for two of the show's key characters, and there's also a major Jeffster! moment to come (wait until you hear about what they'll be wearing in an upcoming episode). Fedak also talks in Part 2 about upcoming guest stars Christopher Lloyd, Scott Bakula, Swoosie Kurtz and Fred Willard.

And stay tuned: On Monday, after the pivotal "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" airs, I will post  more from Fedak on the developments in that hour. Fedak calls the episode a game-changer, and that's a term I don't like to throw around lightly, but I agree.

Without further ado, here's my chat with Fedak.

Part One

Ryan: Ratings have been down a bit of late, although they went back up this last week. What do you guys think that that’s about? Is it all daylight savings time or is there something else going on?

Fedak: Definitely daylight savings definitely is a part of it. We’re also facing stiff competition -- "Dancing with the Stars" has returned. Monday night at 8 p.m. [ET] is in truth a great night for people to watch television. The competition is very stiff. It is very good to see that we are getting a little bit of an uptick in the numbers with the last episode, but it’s a tough time for us.

Ryan: For me, and I think for some other fans, the season has had some ups and downs. Do you attribute any of the ratings falloff or any of the fan dissatisfaction to the fact that the show went to a kind of darker place? And do you guys have any thoughts on how you guys handled that this season, or do you think it all went according to plan?

Fedak: Well, you know it’s tough because we’re not through with the season ...

Ryan: I guess I'm talking about up until now.

Fedak: I’m very happy with [it]. We’re very excited by the way we’ve structured this season. It starts out with some darks spots in the season, we have gone dark, we’ve tested the premise of the show, especially with "Chuck Versus the Final Exam," which aired last Monday. And [Monday's] episode, "Chuck Versus the Other Guy" -- all these episodes are really kind of testing the premise of the show, testing the idea of what we can do on the show.

But from the perspective of the overall season, I think that we’re going to a really neat place and we’re having a lot of fun with it. We’re very excited that we’re able to tell such a dynamic story this season. But in truth, [it is] dynamic and also challenging.

Ryan: To some degree was part of the challenge the budget? There was a lack of consistency in who was even on the show week to week. Were the budget issues and the ability to use the regular cast part of the challenge of the season?

Fedak: Oh, certainly. Based on the changes to the budget, we kind of had to parse out our cast throughout the season a little differently than we had done in the past.

One of the upsides to it was that in episodes where we did have cast members like Big Mike and Jeff and Lester, and especially Awesome and Ellie, it’s allowed us to focus those episodes more on them. I would love to have all the cast members in the show in every episode, and I think that everybody views that as an asset.

There are episodes, like "Chuck Versus the Angel de la Muerte" -- I actually like the idea that we got to spend more time with Ellie and Awesome in those episodes. And then in the next episode, we were able to spend a lot of time with Awesome. So, it did give us an opportunity to tell kind of deeper stories with our characters. But yeah, it was definitely something we had to work on at the very beginning of the season -- structuring when and where each person would kind of fall into the show.

Ryan: Part of the thing with this season was, the Buy More crew supplies so much of the comic relief, so you had the two things going on -- the show and the character going to a darker place, plus less of the people that made it a little bit lighter. Those two things kind of converged in a way that I found kind of jarring at times, to be honest.

Fedak: Sure.

Ryan: Do you wish you had been able to have more Buy More action?

Fedak: Well, just going back to the fact that we had to look at the show a little differently this season -- I think that we love to go back to the Buy More because it’s such a great kind of comic punctuation to the show. It also kind of grounds the show in the real world.

Ryan: Right.

Fedak: But in a strange way, as lunatical -- [laughs] to use that word -- as lunatical as the Buy More can be, it also kind of brought the show back to the real world, to people working 9 to 5 jobs and Chuck [having a job]. And I think that that’s something that we love and is definitely a part of the show.

It is tough because we have a show that has so much cool spy action, we have great stories with Ellie and Awesome -- it’s always [a matter of] trying to get all of these pieces into the puzzle. So we truly dig going to the Buy More.

But clearly there were points this season where Chuck's desire to be a spy and his desire to be a hero took him into some scary places and we focused on those places. We went down that road and I think it’s been exciting. It’s tested the show. [But] we are not forgetting about the Buy More. We’re not leaving that world entirely.

Ryan: Oh -- that word “entirely.”

Fedak: No, I was just thinking about the word “entirely.” In truth, that’s probably not the way I would say it. We’re not going to lose the Buy More, is what I really want to say.

Ryan: OK. You know how words can be parsed on these here Internets.

Fedak: Oh my goodness. I know they will be examined...

Ryan: Yes, you know, there will be some Talmudic scholarship going on here.

Fedak: Whenever the shippers [i.e., relationship fans] start talking about “Sarah's agency,” it’s like, "Wow." All of a sudden it’s a very high level of analysis.

Ryan: I know, it gets deep. I have to be really honest with you, I found Shaw to be stiff and cold and I found that as the season went on, the character just dragged down the parts of the show that he was in. And I guess the question is, was it the intention to make him unlikeable? And if so, how could Sarah fall for him?

Let's talk 'Supernatural': The Winchesters' heavenly trip to the 'Dark Side'

Below, let's talk about "Dark Side of the Moon," Thursday's episode of "Supernatural."

Rest in peace, David Mills

"Homicide: Life on the Streets."

"The Wire."

"NYPD Blue."

"ER."

"The Corner."

This isn't a random list of television classics. This is a list of the shows that David Mills wrote for.

Mills passed away Tuesday in New Orleans, where he was working on the HBO series "Treme," which premieres April 11.

According to a story by New Orleans Times-Picayune critic Dave Walker, Mills died of a brain aneurysm.

HBO released a statement today: "HBO is deeply saddened by the sudden loss of our dear friend and colleague David Mills. He was a gracious and humble man, and will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved him, as well as those who were aware of his immense talent. David has left us too soon but his brilliant work will live on."

UPDATE: David Simon, who worked closely with Mills on many of the shows above, talked about him in this Washington Post piece.

Mills death is a tragic loss to television. He's one of those people who, as UK writer Terry Cafolla said in a Twitter message to me, you feel as though you know through their writing. Mills also had a blog, Undercover Black Man, where his wit and thoughtfulness were much in evidence. Fans of his work are leaving messages of sympathy and sadness there.

If it's through their works that you know a person, then what we knew about David Mills was this: He cared about the truth and storytelling and the mysteries of life. He gave [an expletive] when it wasn't his turn. The world is a lesser place without him.

Star-Ledger critic Alan Sepinwall knew Mills well, and his elegy for him is wonderful. Josef Adalian of The Wrap has a remembrance here, and Time's James Poniewozik, who recently interviewed Mills on the "Treme" set in New Orleans, posted some thoughts here. These pieces make me even more sad that Mills won't be around to tell us more stories.

My heart and prayers go out to his friends and family.

The 'Fringe' episode you don't want to miss

Thursday's episode of "Fringe" may be the quietest and most restrained hour the show has ever done. It's definitely one of the best episodes in "Fringe's" history, and the most moving. (There are two clips from Thursday's "Fringe" in the video player on the right side of this page, but be aware they contain spoilers.)

John Noble has always been "Fringe's" secret weapon -- as the dotty scientist Walter, he's able to move with lightning speed between surreal goofiness and touching insecurity, often within a single scene. "Fringe" can be inconsistent and its mythology can seem ad hoc and messy at times, but on Thursday, by focusing intently on a single area of Walter's past, the drama effectively deploys everything that works on this show.

The performances are outstanding, the music is perfectly evocative, the cinematography and production values are top-notch and the story is intriguing without being confusing. Every year, The Futon Critic ranks the 50 best TV episodes of the year. I'd be surprised if Thursday's "Fringe" does not rank pretty highly on that list. (Charlie Jane Anders from io9 shares some non-spoilery thoughts on the episode here.)

And you don't need to be caught up on the show's mythology to enjoy the hour -- the DVD Fox sent came without a "previously on 'Fringe'" segment and I'd missed the last couple of episodes before the show began its mid-season break, but it was pretty easy to understand where things stood as the episode begins.

Below I'll talk in a very general way about some of the developments in Thursday's "Fringe" (which has already been renewed for a third season, in case you were wondering). If you are 100 percent anti-spoiler, look away. At the end of this post, there are some factoids from "Fringe" executive producer Jeff Pinker on where things will go later this season (including one tidbit about the April 29 musical episode of the Fox show).

In Thursday's episode, "Peter," much of the focus is on the arrogant, driven Walter of the '80s, and that somehow makes watching the tentative, sweet Walter of the present day all the more heartbreaking. And given the gravity of the situation, the fantastical things in "Peter" aren't distractingly fantastical; here the whiz-bang technology is definitely serving the character-driven plot, not driving it.

Orla Brady does a wonderful job as Walter's wife, Elizabeth. An actor has to have a strong presence to share scenes with Noble, and Brady more than holds her own, but both Noble and Brady are very subtle and specific. If they'd been any bigger with their performances, that would have nudged "Peter" into melodrama territory, but the episode's restraint is what makes it powerful.

Pinkner says (and stop reading if you don't want to know) that Brady returns as Elizabeth Bishop later this season, and that what transpires between Walter and Olivia (Anna Torv) in Thursday's episode drives much of the rest of the season and the developments between the characters.

"Mostly everything going forward is played through the personal filter," Pinkner said in an email. Thursday's revelations "pretty much informs everything through the rest of the season."

Pinkner added that the show will "spend a good amount of time in the Alt Universe before the season is out."

And finally, TV Guide magazine has the details of the April 29 musical episode of "Fringe," which sounds like it could be a lot of fun (or not; we'll have to see how well the cast can carry a tune and whether show tunes make sense within the context of this occasionally whimsical show).

The TV Guide piece said that cast members Lance Reddick, Jasika Nicole and Blair Brown would be singing, but I expressed disappointment to Pinkner regarding the fact that Noble apparently would not be belting out a tune.

"Sez who?!" Pinkner replied.

Hmm.... so maybe we'll see the senior Bishop sing after all.

Let's talk 'Lost': Missed connections

Let's discuss "The Package," last night's episode of "Lost."