Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
May 23, 2006

As we approach the end of television season,  here’s my report card for the year.

 

NBC

 

Outstanding – “Deal or No Deal,” “The Office,” “My Name is Earl”

 

Satisfactory  - “Law and Order:  SVU,” “Las Vegas,” getting the NFL back.

 

Unsatisfactory – “The West Wing,” “Joey,” “The Apprentice,” “Martha Stewart:  The Apprentice,” “Saturday Night Live”

 

CBS

 

Outstanding – The “CSIs,” “Without a Trace,” “Cold Case”

 

Satisfactory – “Survivor,” “CBS Evening News with Bob Schieffer,” “Ghost Whisperer”

 

Unsatisfactory – “The Amazing Race,” “The Early Show”

 

ABC

 

Outstanding – Sunday night lineup “(Extreme Makever: Home Edition,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Grey’s Anatomy”), “Lost,” “Dancing with the Stars”

 

Satisfactory – “Jimmy Kimmel,” “Good Morning America,” “General Hospital”

 

Unsatisfactory – “Emily’s Reasons Why Not,” “Jake in Progress,” “Invasion,” “Commander in Chief,” “ABC World News Tonight”

 

Fox

 

Outstanding – “American Idol,” “24,” “House”

 

Satisfactory – “The Simpsons,” “The War at Home,” “That 70’s Show”

 

Unsatisfactory – “The O.C.” “Unan1mous,” “Head Cases”

 

 

UPN

 

Outstanding – “Veronica Mars,” “Everybody Hates Chris”

 

Satisfactory – “America’s Next Top Model,” “Girlfriends”

 

Unsatisfactory – Everything else

 

 

WB

 

Outstanding – “7^th Heaven,” which will be resurrected on the CW Network

 

Satisfactory – “Smallville,” “Everwood,” “Beauty and the Geek”

 

Unsatisfactory – Everything else

Gray’s Anatomy

Over thirty million viewers are expected to watch the finale of “American Idol” tonight on Fox at 8 p.m.  Expect Ray hair coloring industry nightmare Taylor Hicks to become champion.  Also, expect judge Paula Abdul to do something nutty.

NBC10’s “10” show debuts in its new studio located at the station today at 10 a.m.  Glad to see they are reading my column.  Here was my suggestion from my “report card” column dated June 8, 2004.

“Needs Improvement - "10" gets tied or beaten in the ratings by "Jerry Springer" and "Guiding Light."  Get it out of the Loews, bring it back to the Channel 10 studio, get a studio audience, and create excitement.”

 

Broomall, PA native Adrian Pasdar, who did a three episode stint on “Desperate Housewives” will be a regular on the fall NBC show “Heroes.”  The show is about a group of people who learn they have “super human powers.”