Nikki Finke says the show is saved through a partnership with DirecTV that would put telecasts on both DirecTV and some part of the NBC universe. (NBC, as of Thursday afternoon, was not commenting.) We're seeing more of these cross-platform deals, like DirecTV's carrying the former NBC soap "Passions," or "Criminal Intent" airing on cable before going to broadcast. And, as long as I get to see shows I love, I'll take a deal.

Notes on tonight's episode, after the jump …

Good stuff first:
Matt's meltdown. Some of it could have been better. For one thing, considering that the Dillon program was already in trouble because of Smash's situation, I would have expected Coach to suspend Matt the second he suspected Matt had been drinking. But the dramatic payoff — from Matt's grandmother telling the coach that Matt needed help, to the confrontation in the shower, to Matt's boiled-over resentment that "everybody leaves me" — was as powerful and heart-breaking as the show has ever been. As I said last week (when I had already seen this episode), I feel some optimism about "FNL" finding its way again. I watched that sequence again tonight, and it still gets to me.

Also fine was the Smash story (although I have to think that he would have been stopped at practice even before he suited up). The whole Smash-inspires-the-team bit was a little much, especially when Matt demands that Smash play. (Then again, Matt has been making a lot of lousy decisions lately.) But the final shot with Smash — who can't play, who has lost his scholarship, who has been forced to doubt everything he believed about himself — that moment was a killer.

Mixed feelings: The payoff to the Tami-and-Julie story. I like just about anything Connie Britton does, and I love the way she and Kyle Chandler work together. (Yes, I have said it before. Still bears repeating.) And I like to watch Eric and Tami as parents. But this whole Tami-as-coach business has felt contrived, especially the way the Tami-recruited Tyra miraculously turns around a team that, from what we first saw, didn't have anyone else who knew how to serve or pass the ball. But in the context of Matt's feelings of abandonment, to be reminded that even Julie — with two loving parents — can fear being deserted by those who love her.

And now, distaste. You know where I'm going.

That's right, the Landry-Tyra SWAK.

I liked that Landry had moved on. I liked that the girl with him was not only sweet but a good fit for him. And I don't believe that Tyra has put aside her issues about Landry not being good enough for her. This feels more like an ego thing. She doesn't only like his adoration, she expects it. She obviously did not like the idea of someone else being with Landry, and I suspect part of it was her dismay that he was happy so quickly after she had dismissed him — presumably breaking his heart. If it's not about ego and competition, why would she try to take him back WHEN HE IS ON A DATE WITH THE OTHER GIRL?

So either this is going to end badly, or continue unconvincingly.

I took an early peek at tonight's episode thanks to an advance (but very rough) copy sent out by NBC. Some comments after the jump …

Tonight's episode did not work entirely. The Riggins boys vs. Ferret Man was a bad idea to begin with, and the resolution via Lyla was a bit much. One would think that Smash — or someone in his family — knew enough to *69 the harassing phone call. (I even had a sneaking suspicion that the aggressive TV crew was making the call, just to set Smash on the course to his inevitable explosion.) Nor was I all that crazy about Street as car salesman, especially when he discovered his magic touch with the looky-loo.

But this episode is of a piece with the next one, which I have also watched, and the two do fit together. It's a fit that has to do with character and making decisions, especially what happens when you make the wrong ones. (Smash and Riggins are not the only ones making awful choices.) I'm not satisfied with everything in next week's episode either, but by next week this feels like the early, great "Friday Night Lights," where everyone is on game.

Of course, Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton are always on game, even when the show has been crumbling around them. Jesse Plemons as Landry and Adrianne Palicki as Tyra are also watchable, especially now that they are free of the killing storyline. Gaius Charles as Smash does fine work this week and next, and Saracen (Zach Gilford) gets a big showcase next week. I'm a little weary of Riggins' whipped-dog look, but I have to admit that Taylor Kitsch does it very well.

In other words, even with my reservations, I am getting my optimism back about "FNL." I still don't like all the decisions the characters will make, but I am drawn in by the way they get there.

This, I fear, is where Landry and Tyra have gone.

Notes on tonight's and next week's telecast after the jump. Some spoilers …

Since "Friday Night Lights" has resolved the Landry killing, I should be able to put it aside. But it has become the "FNL" equivalent of the spousal rape on "Rescue Me," the sort of thing that keeps affecting how I view the characters and plots from now on.

It's especially difficult to deal with tonight when, the killing plot having ended, Landry expects to resume his relationship with Tyra. I won't dispute how good the actors are, or how well done this story might have seemed if it had taken place before the killing. But now, Tyra's hesitation, her seeming to hold out for something better, is all too much like Molly Ringwald looking past Jon Cryer.

And if you're trying to be a great drama, you don't model yourself after a crowd-pleasing movie aimed at the silliest dreams of the subteen girls you want to draw to the multiplex.

I held out hope that, at some point, Tyra might explain that her hesitation was a hangover from the killing, that seeing Landry was too much of a reminder of what had gone before. That I might have bought. But she should have gotten over that he's-not-quite-good-enough thing long ago; indeed, the road trip to the state championship last season suggested that she was getting past it. But no. It had to be dragged out some more.

Elsewhere in tonight's show, we get the twister, which gave NBC some decent promo material but in the context of the show led to an awkward placing together of Dillon and a rival team in the same facilities. Which of course prompted conflicts that, in the sensible world that "FNL" often inhabits, would have been stopped with a few firm words by both coaches. Instead, it, too, is dragged toward a payoff in the next episode that is cheap melodrama.

And there's a plot coming with Riggins that's even worse.

I don't want to believe the wheels have fallen off the "FNL" bus. And as long as Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton are playing scenes, with other characters and with each other, I will want to tune in. But those wheels are looking shaky.

Notes after the jump …

Once again we were reminded what a very good actor Jesse Plemons is, and how very tortured Landry is. And that's the problem. The murder story has been resolved, but Landry's feelings about it have not. As he says in the episode, he has to choose between jail and hell, and by the end he has chosen hell. Doesn't matter what Tyra believes. Doesn't matter how his father hurts. Landry's got hellacious baggage, damaging him and the show, where the ghosts will lurk even if they are never spoken of.

Once again we are reminded how very, very, very good Connie Britton is. And Tami and Julie fighting is quite a spectacle. ("FNL" really knows how people fight.) But the Big Speech payoff before the christening felt too obvious, too manufactured.

Once again I have to say that I am disturbed by other things in the show. Street and the Internet date. Can I get an ick? Followed by a, how long did he know that waitress before she melted for him? What do they feed the women in Dillon? Which brings us, of course, to Matt and Carlotta, and as sweet as they could seem together, I still want no part of that story. Let's hope the writers spend some of their strike time thinking about how to get out of that without too much more damage.

I love Buddy as a character. I've been intrigued by his relationship with Santiago, and I like that Santiago didn't immediately prove to be a heroic player. But tonight? Not so sure. A big reason is that his big dramatic play was sure reminiscent of Landry's big dramatic play. (And what happened to Landry and the football team, anyway? If he's still playing, we should be seeing it. If he's off the team, shouldn't we have seen more conversation about it — especially since he was briefly the big hero.)

But I also felt dread when Santiago was being pressed into stronger action on the field; this guy wasn't in jail on a too-soulful-expression charge. So I'm not sure how I feel about him being heroic (for one play; what did he do the rest of the game?), whether that means the show went the right dramatic way or the wrong one. One of those stories where I wonder what the next episode or two might hold. And I will keep sticking around, in spite of all my reservations.

What's left? Right, Riggins. It was OK, I suppose. But in an episode as densely plotted as this one, it also felt like the most expendable of the stories.

I don't want to talk about it. …

Caption for the picture above: If loving you is wrong, I don't want to be right. But loving you is still wrong. Wrong for the show. Wrong for the characters. Way wrong. Way past the song lyric wrong. ….

Even as "Friday Night Lights" is finally trying to reassemble itself — getting Riggins back on the team, putting an end to the Landry murder storyline (well, in one more week, as interminable as it has already been) — it stumbles. Smash's recruiting trip was like something out of a bad teen movie; I was so annoyed when Big Mean Dude was after Smash that I would have been more satisfied if it had proven to be a prank, Smash fleeing outside into a crowd of laughing players.

But that's somewhat minor considering the show is falling into another terrible trap, the adolescent-male fantasy of Saracen and the care-giver. And no matter how deftly it will end up presenting the emotional consequences of that connection, it makes me feel terrible, as I discussed in somewhat more detail in my post after the previous episode.

But it's not the only thing going wrong.

I had expected Tami to go maternal on Creepy Teacher in the last episode, so I was somewhat relieved to see her get to it this week. But not so relieved that she was made to feel guilty for doing so. Yes, she lost her temper when Creepy T was obnoxious to her, but her instincts as a mother and an administrator were dead on. But in making her feel guilty, the show sets the stage for Julie and Creepy T to interact more, without Tami's intercession; if it goes that way, it will be unfortunate.

More unfortunate because there are still so many things to freakin' love about the show. Riggins mano a mano apologies, where he doesn't even know the name of a teammate but he can still find a way to apologize. And is still swaggering enough to tell a rookie to get out of his place in line. Coach's jealousy, and his admission of the same. The pain on Landry's face. But it's not enough these days. Not nearly enough.

More with characters like Smash and his mom, please. This can be such a great family drama.

I'm a little late to the discussion about last week's "FNL," but let me add my unease to that being felt elsewhere in the blogosphere.

There were good things, to be sure. Tami roping the girls into handling the Pantherama entertainment. (Line of the year: "Oh, honey, you are not using Jesus Christ our Lord as an excuse not to help your counselor, are you?)

The Smash story, and especially the presence of Smash's mom, who should be on camera far more often. (Another great line: "I'm not asking you to be this boy's daddy. I'm just here to remind you — he doesn't have one.")

I also want to see more of Buddy and Santiago the troubled football recruit. Not only because Buddy is one of my favorite characters but because there's an intriguing double-redemption thing going on there: the kid trying to rebuild his life and play football, Buddy trying to prove that he can, with a second chance, be the family man he once imagined himself.

And, in the dance number, there was that great little character note of Landry keeping his undershirt on while all the other guys are barechested. Modesty, insecurity, whatever — it was so Landry.

Then there were the other, not-good parts.

Even if the killing wasn't part of the episode, it hangs there, and we're now being promised the big confessional moment in two weeks. Maureen Ryan of the Chicago Tribune says in her blog that that episode on Dec. 7 "is supposed to wrap up the Landry-Tyra-dead guy story line once and for all." I hope so; NBC's plot tag for the episode says "Landry (Jesse Plemons) confesses to the murder of Tyra’s (Adrianne Palicki) assaulter but continues to struggle with his conscience."

But with the killing on the sideline in last week's show, "FNL"
still managed to raise the ick factor. There was Julie's bonding with her new, male teacher in a way that would have been inappropriate in life as well as on TV. I know, nothing happened, but I would have expected no-nonsense Tami to give him a warning about appearances and being alone in a classroom with a female student.

And then, what genius has made Saracen rampaging stud boy? Julie is pining, he's got that little cookie at school and his grandmother's caregiver, after initial reluctance, sure looked warm for Saracen in the episode's waning moments.

I know that you can't do a high-school show without some romantic travails, but this is all way too "90210" for a show that has made its mark as being much smarter and caring.

While I grabbed at "90210" as a convenience, Daniel Fienberg added the detail of a chronic viewer: "His Noah Barnett, the hip young English teacher and newspaper advisor, is the unholy spawn of Michael St. Gerard's Chris Suiter, failed actor and student predator, and Mark Kiely's Gil Meyers, advisor on the West Beverly Blaze and alleged student predator."

In his blog, Fienberg goes on to make a couple of other key points:

How old is Sexy Nurse Carlotta supposed to be? The show's message when it comes to age-problematic relationships is simple: Icky Stoner The Swede or Pretentious Teacher going after Julie? Baaaaaad. Riggins going after the MILF Next Door or Matt flirting with Sexy Nurse Carlotta? Intriguing. Except that I'm not. Intrigued, I mean. And I won't even begin to get into the racial dynamics of uber-honky Matt turning to sexy Latina Carlotta to give his stripping the necessary spice.

So even if the Landry-Tyra story gets wrapped up, there are abundant problems facing the show right now.

Couple of other points:

– Are we really done with the question of Coach's paycheck? Yes, he got more money as the athletic director (another plot line that got elbowed aside this week), but he's still getting less than he did before, and with a new baby. I hope there's more coming with that.

– Exactly how tall is Palicki? Or, more correctly, how shrimpy are the Dillon players? Tyra was towering over just about everyone in last week's episode, no matter what angle the scene was shot from.

At the end of the day, I'm glad I tuned in for the Smash stuff, including Coach's chat with the recruiter and then Smash.

But the show still feels unformed. It's as if they hit the ground with a first season that had all the assurance of a show that has worked out the bugs in the first season, and have now backtracked creatively, leaving bugs scattered all over.

It wasn't a crazy weekend, just one of those where I was busy when I felt like blogging, and tired when I wasn't busy. Did some shopping, went to the Akron tree festival (which was too cramped into its space), a little work, some family business.

But let's have a cheery note or two. I've been getting the occasional letter asking about "Hold on Tight" in the Honda commercial, so for grins here's Electric Light Orchestra/ELO doing the song:

And, since I have now stuck "Monday Monday" in my brain, here's a little video of the Mamas and the Papas:

I have done some TV watching that does not involve YouTube. Will get to "Friday Night Lights" a little later today, I expect, and describe both my joy when watching Smash's mom and my dismay over the separate paths being taken by Saracen and Julie. Caught up with the last couple of weeks of "Heroes" over the weekend, and will have something to say after tonight's telecast.

Also saw "The Amazing Race," which was fine but does not call for extended comment — just a brief acknowledgment that once again the show has revealed how there are still Ugly Americans, sneering at the way others have to live.

I have some friends who will not watch the promos for upcoming episodes of their favorite shows. I don't blame them a bit …

Couple of recent examples: "30 Rock" and tonight's "FNL." One of the best things in "30 Rock," as I said, was Al Gore's parting line. So, of course, NBC could not let it just happen, instead putting it in the promo and wrecking the fun. Tonight, "Friday Night Lights" obviously wanted to create some suspense when Landry's father told Landry they had to go for a drive. But in last week's promo, there was a shot of a burning station wagon that let us know where that plot line was going well before we got there.

That aside, an episode with a lot to recommend it. The car burning appears to resolve, at last, the killing storyline. Here's the problem, though: A show this good makes us expect that the characters feel the consequences of their actions, so just as Landry experienced pain over the killing (even if that pain didn't last long), his father should feel something for obstructing the law. But that would drag out even longer a storyline we are best done with.

On to the good stuff, then: Tami and Coach talking with and around and over each other at the beginning of the episode. Saracen not immediately taking Julie back — even going with a woman who is by far Julie's inferior (think of Saracen's look during the knife/shiv/shank dialogue) but who is important him because she so isn't Julie. Not that I expect that to go well. Buddy and Coach. Riggins and the new guy. Street's ache as he tries to figure out his next move and believes it isn't football — when Coach, for one, believes that football is redemptive for some people, including Street. (I know, he didn't say that. But does Kyle Chandler ever need to say much to convey a lot?) Dinner at Smash's. Riggins, his brother and Tami. Coach on whether Riggins is back on the team. The soccer coach's arrival. (Yes, we knew something like that was coming, but it was still so very well done.)

In other words, a pretty doggone good episode. The stuff with Tami and her sister was a bit trite, but I'm still feeling the show is back on game.

Notes and spoilers after the jump …

Show of hands for everyone who expects Eric to be working opposite ex-Coach sometime before the season is over. That said, I had one problem with the storyline: the swiftness with which ex-Coach was dispatched. I had figured that ex-Coach would still be in his job as long as he could win games, regardless of other turmoil; not sure one loss was enough to create momentum for his canning. (Didn't Eric have more than one loss on his way to the state championship?) Buddy sure retook the whip hand rapidly, considering the other boosters had aced him out. On the other hand, ex-Coach's confrontation with Eric was really good, mainly because of the look on Eric's face when he wanted to lie so badly but knew he couldn't do it. But it would have been more interesting to see Eric dangling a bit longer, especially after he had quit his college job (and what a great scene that was). But I think the show is cutting its losses on some plot lines; see the Julie notes below for another example.

The Street-Riggins road trip was also well done. Could have turned into all sorts of promotable frat-boy moments, and the show chose instead to go with Street waiting in agony in his hotel room for a chance at a dream that could so easily turn into a nightmare. Not sure about where Riggins turned for help; although it made some sense in the constrained, almost-no-friends world that Riggins inhabits, I'm still not sure he would think of her as someone who could talk Street out of anything. Eric maybe? But would Street and Riggins even know that Eric was back?

I will pause here to once again remark on how superb Connie Britton is as Tami and then move on.

Julie and the Swede: Like the ex-Coach story, it felt abrupt, as if the producers have concluded that some storylines were bad ideas and they need to get back to their powerful core. But well played by all involved.

Which brings us, once again, to the murder. And every time it lands center stage, I want to change the channel. And the melodrama looming makes it even more depressing. I didn't like the taste of what's to come in the promo, although I also remind myself — with that and with the Street-in-the-water scene — that promos exaggerate and mislead.

Considering how much old plot it jettisoned tonight, I'd like to see "FNL" come up with a way to get rid of the murder story. But any quick ending of it will strain credulity even more than the hasty departure of ex-Coach. So I can't quit, but I am still uneasy, and it still feels that some things — in creative terms — are going to end badly. Assuming the show keeps enough audience to be allowed any kind of dignified end at all.

Anyone care to comment on last night's "Friday Night Lights"? Are we in better territory than at the start of the season, or worse?

As for Thursday, was that the worst "Office" episode ever or what?

Also, in case you missed them, you can link here to my reviews of "Things We Lost in the Fire" and "Gone Baby Gone."

Getting back to "The Office," it was draggy, overly somber, redeemed only by Jim's look in the stairwell as he told Dwight about his feelings for Pam. And part of a not-great night overall. Best part of "My Name Is Earl" was "Respect the Meat" (which has been available for re-viewing over at NBC.com), but the other stunt beats were only so-so. "30 Rock" started well (liked Tracy's happy "I'm whipped" speech) but floundered; nothing really for Steve Buscemi to do, and no matter how hard and well he performed, Baldwin couldn't save the cookie-jar story.

So is it just me, or was that a really blah round of comedies?

"Have you seen our ratings? We may need these fast-food jobs as a fallback."

Those of us who have fretted over the changes in the second season of "FNL" take no comfort from the latest Nielsen ratings. Variety reports here that the drama lost considerable audience from its season premiere to last Friday's telecast.

Now, you could argue that the numbers are misleading, since one of the competitors was Fox's baseball telecast. And as much as I have tried to pimp "FNL" in these parts (where my DVD of the first season is still circulating in order to woo viewers), it was not likely to drag people away from the Indians in a playoff game.

At the same time, "Women's Murder Club" will be a regular competitor, and it did a strong national number, probably sucking viewers away from "FNL." I have to think that, since "FNL" did better a week ago, the Tyra-Landry story prompted some viewers to defect. And this is not a show that can afford a lot of defections.

I do feel some regret about expressing concerns over the show before it began the second season. There are still so many good things in it (way more than "Women's Murder Club" will ever muster), and I want enough people to tune in to give it time for a course correction. But if it's getting close to time to write an "end of 'FNL' " column, it's going to be one that places a lot of blame on the show itself, for going in a direction that aimed for new viewers but risked antagonizing many of the faithful.

Many in this part of the world spent last night watching the Indians and Red Sox. Some others probably gave "Friday Night Lights" another chance, so feel free to post your comments on that below.

The bride and I went over to the University of Akron to see younger son in Lanford Wilson's "Hot L Baltimore."

He played Paul, his first role at UA, his transition from high school plays to a college stage. Upping the ante: Marshall W. Mason, who directed the original production of "Hot L Baltimore," was in attendance and spoke for about an hour after the play.

But they could have had a guy making balloon animals after the show and we still would have wanted to be there. Big rite of passage for the young man. Kind of thing that makes parents swell with pride. More than worth missing some TV baseball for. There will be other games.

Speaking of baseball, though, it was odd to see the Indians lose, and lose badly, in the first game. I've been thinking that this season feels a lot like 1995, and more recently had begun to formulate a theory that the Indians are in fact the 2004 Red Sox, right down to the lovable-idiots label (Damon's hair, meet Nixon's pies). And, after years of cheering for the Indians EXCEPT when they played the Red Sox, I had decided that for me this year it was Tribe time. The Red Sox, after all, had buried the curse and the Indians were in a real era of good feelings, most evident when the bride and I had gone to Jacobs Field.

So there I was, with all these happy-feet feelings about the Indians, and they lost. Oh, well. So, any thoughts on "FNL"?

I spent much of last night watching Indians-Yankees. But, as you know, I saw the season premiere of "Friday Night Lights" quite some time ago. And I have been waiting for all of you to see it, so we can discuss one of the plot elements. Discussion begins after the jump …

So here's the thing that worried me: Landry killing the man who attacked Tyra. For starters, the killing was an enormous act for a show that has far more often focused on close-up, personal dramas. Beyond that, though, because this is "Friday Night Lights," I would have expected Landry to call the law immediately. He's that kind of guy, and no amount of pleading from Tyra would have deterred him. Or, it might have delayed his making the call, but it would not have led him to the disposal of the body. It's all melodrama, and out of keeping with the show.

Having seen the next couple of episodes, I will tell you that the killing does not go away. It has an impact on the characters. But I have reservations about the specifics of that impact, which we can talk about as the show goes along. And it hangs over the show like a big, ugly shadow, and makes me wonder how else things might go wrong down the line.

As I've said before, this is even more agonizing because so much of "FNL" is still excellent. But enough about me. What do you other viewers think?

Perhaps because of concerns already expressed by criticsh who have seen the season premiere, NBC sent out the second and third episodes of the new season. And it's tearing me apart. … (Possible slight spoilers ahead.)

Although the handling of the big dramatic twist in the season premiere — which we will talk about in detail later — allays some of my concerns, it still feels wrong. And there's a subplot involving Saracen and his grandmother's need for help that also seems like something pressed upon the show by ratings-seeking forces wanting big scenes that they can use in promos — and, of course, ruin the big scenes by giviing them away in promos. (I'm still amazed how many parts of the season premiere of "House" were ruined by a Fox promo.)

That's not what's tearing me apart. It's that for every wrong move the show is making, there are two or three other things that are absolutely brilliant. Pretty much anything involving Eric and/or Tami, for starters, and what's in store for Julie in the first three episodes, and a scene with Street in the third episode that will break your heart, and some business with Buddy, and … well, I may have given away too much already.

But that doesn't wash away the problem. In a way, it makes it worse. If it was all bad — and I know of at least one critic is unhappy about far more than I am in those first three episodes — then I could walk away. But I know that I'll miss some amazing television if I do. Only, to see the amazing stuff, I have to sit through a storyline that very much bothers me. I suppose I could fast-forward through the troubling scenes. But that's no way to watch a show that's as textured as "FNL."

I'm not the only one concerned. My colleague Maureen Ryan is also worried and has posted some of her thoughts in her blog. She also has a link to Yahoo! TV, where you can see the episode — and so understand my problems with the premiere. My friend and colleague Alan Sepinwall has also weighed in a bit on his blog.

Second season begins Oct. 5.

Coach Taylor in better days

Is "Friday Night Lights" still capable of greatness in its second-season premiere? Yes. Is there anything to worry about? Also yes. …

When copies of the new episode of "FNL" arrived yesterday, one of my colleagues said, "I'm going to save it for a treat." He didn't save it for long, though, since I've already gotten a "we must talk" e-mail from him. And I didn't really try to wait. Once we were done with some family business, the bride and I sat down to watch last night.

So much that was good about the show is still good. The Taylor family, for starters, which now has a new baby to deal with, as well as Eric's being far away, at his new college coaching job. When Tami goes in labor, Eric has to fly — literally — home. And what he finds is that the baby is just one of the challenges facing him; daughter Julie has gone snotty in his absence, for reasons that are explained. The Julie/Matt relationship has taken an interesting turn, as have the lives of Buddy, Lyla, Riggins, Landy, Tyra and Street. In fact, the show is so stuffed that Street's new dilemma is presented very quickly, and we hardly see Smash at all.

And, since the show is not about high-school football but built around it, the Panthers have to have a new coach, played by Chris Mulkey, and that changes all kinds of dynamics. There's a great scene where Eric gets some info about the new coach's tactics; Kyle Chandler's face flexes, his jaw clamps, and you can read the emotions — the whole conflict between the need to help one of his old players, and his distaste for interference, without a word being said. Similarly, when Buddy shares his thoughts about the situation, Eric doesn't have to say much. Viewers, especially those of us who have followed the show from the beginning, can feel everything going on between those men.

So I'm happy to have the show back, with one huge codicil that I can't discuss in detail.
There's a plot element in the season premiere that, the more I think about it, the more wrong it feels. It's wrong tonally for "FNL" — because it is big and melodramatic — and it looks as if it is being handled wrong in terms of the characters. On a show that has always understood its people, the reactions here seem designed more to keep a story going than to illuminate the people involved.

Gosh, I wish I could tell you what it's about. But I won't — and I don't care how many spoilers are floating out there. You need to see this one for yourself.

But it bothers the daylights out of me. This show has been close to perfect, and here's a moment that says to me, well, "Give them Hecky Brown."

For those of you tuning in late, Hecky Brown was a comedian played by Zero Mostel in the blacklisting movie "The Front." Woody Allen plays a front for blacklisted writers, putting his name on scripts to be sold, then getting a cut of the proceeds from the actual writers. But Allen runs afoul of the witch-hunters, too, and is called upon to testify. He doesn't want to name names. But by this time, Brown, also under fire, has killed himself. In order to pacify the investigators, Allen is advised, "Give them Hecky Brown." Brown is dead, so it won't matter, supposedly. But Allen knows that giving them Hecky is even greater sacrilege.

So what does this have to do with "Friday Night Lights"? I think there was a feeling that the show needed to do something to amp up the ratings. Whether the thinking came from the show's makers, or from the network, doesn't matter. The thought was there. The show wanted to preserve its integrity, but it also needed to pacify the thinkers. And so we get this big plot twist.

Maybe they think it won't hurt the show, that this little thing — this Hecky Brown — protects all the other good things the show has done. But, as "The Front" argued, there is no little sin here, no acceptable compromise. I worry that "FNL" has missed that point.

Details of the DVD, coming Aug. 28 and bargain-priced, after the jump …

Here's the announcement:

Inspired by the New York Times best-selling book and acclaimed theatrical feature, the Emmy® nominated Friday Night Lights: The First Season debuts on DVD on August 28, 2007 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Executive produced by Peter Berg (who directed and wrote the feature film) and Academy Award® winner Brian Grazer (A Beautiful Mind), Friday Night Lights has won viewer devotion and critical praise for its look at the emotional dynamics of small-town life. Featuring outstanding production values, insightful writing and compelling characters, the series has received several prestigious honors including two 2007 Primetime Emmy® nominations including Best Directing, the 2007 Television Critics Association award for Outstanding New Program, The George Foster Peabody Award and the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 2006 Television Program of the Year. All 22 episodes of the initial season, available for the first time on DVD, come with outstanding bonus features including a “Making of the Final Episode” featurette, special commentary by the show’s producers and deleted scenes from some of the season’s most memorable episodes. Friday Night Lights: The First Season comes in a five-disc set and is priced to own at $29.98 SRP.

· Deleted Scenes from Favorite Episodes

List is here I expect to have more to say later, including about "Friday Night Lights" getting shafted … and what may be my happiest nomination of the day — for the Andy Samberg/Justin Timberlake "box" song on "Saturday Night Live," in the "outstanding original music and lyrics" category… Tell you what: Since I've been posting more notes in the comments below, comment on what you like/dislike in the nominations and I'll try to respond … if I ever get over the "FNL" oversights that is. CONNIE BRITTON! CONNIE BRITTON!

Premiere dates, new "Apprentice," Jerry Seinfeld on "30 Rock," Norman Lear ..

From e-mails of announcements NBC made today …

CELEB APPRENTICE

NBC has renewed "The Apprentice" for mid-season with a creative twist. In a new celebrity version of the popular series, celebrity contestants will vie for Donald Trump's attention in what will be the highest-profile competition in the groundbreaking series' run, it was announced today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios.

A list of the participating celebrities will be announced at a later date for the series' seventh season. Contestants will be raising money for various charities throughout the competition.

SEINFELD ON "30 ROCK"

Jerry Seinfeld returns to NBC in a rare guest-star turn when he appears as himself in the second-season premiere of NBC's critically acclaimed comedy "30 Rock” on October 4 (Thursday, 8:30-9 p.m. ET), it was announced today by Ben Silverman, Co-Chairman, NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios. …

Seinfeld's return to his NBC roots will include not only his guest role on "30 Rock,” but he will also create and star in 20 unique live-action comedy "minisodes" (as previously announced), inspired by his experiences creating the upcoming DreamWorks animated feature film "Bee Movie," in theaters November 2. NBC Universal will also have the exclusive U.S. broadcast and cable network rights to the film, which features Seinfeld as the voice of Barry B. Benson, a disillusioned bee. Produced by Seinfeld and DreamWorks, the 20 comedy shorts will give viewers a glimpse at Seinfeld's behind-the-scenes antics during production of the movie. The minisodes will run on NBC's primetime schedule this fall, as well as on NBC.com, on designated days before and after the release of the film.

NORMAN LEAR

NBC has signed a series deal with legendary, Emmy Award-winning television producer Norman Lear ("All in the Family”) to join Reveille, Act III Productions, and Universal Media Studios in producing a one-hour dramedy focused on a mother who reenters the work force and is pitted against her late husband's ruthless partner in a money-charged battle of the sexes on Wall Street.

PREMIERE DATES (INCLUDES SOME CHANGES IN PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED TIME PERIODS)

SEPTEMBER 11
"The Biggest Loser” (8-10 p.m.)

OCTOBER 25
"Scrubs” (9:30-10 p.m.)

EXPLANATIONS AND DETAILS OF SCHEDULE CHANGES

NBC launches its season premieres the week of September 24. The network will adjust its schedule by moving the new comedic spy thriller "Chuck" to Mondays (8-9 p.m. ET) – followed by switching the popular Monday version of "Deal or No Deal" to Fridays (8-9 p.m. ET), and shifting "Friday Night Lights" to an earlier new time of 9-10 p.m. (ET) and " Las Vegas" to 10-11 p.m. (ET).

As it did during last fall, "Football Night in America" (7-8 p.m. ET) and "Sunday Night Football" (8-11 p.m. ET) will dominate on autumn Sundays.

Lots of reports flying yesterday that "Friday Night Lights" has been picked up for a full second season. (Thanks again, Fred, for the heads-up.) I hope to have a formal announcement from NBC for posting later today.

And that's great news. Just hope the show has a second season in it that's as good as the first one was.

For reading after you've watched, since mega spoilers follow the jump. …

– The moment when Coach tells his wife he'll stay in Dillon, and she tries to talk him out of it. The talks between those two are some of the best depictions out there of the way loving couples talk to each other.

– The way the whole Landry/Tyra "date" played out, right down to the kiss on the cheek. They're turning into a lovely couple, even if they never are actually a couple.

– Coach's face when he found out that his new job had leaked. One of the great things about the show is the way Kyle Chandler does angry — the quick but quiet burn. And that the show believes his character is capable of flying off the handle, which brings us to …

– Coach's chat with Buddy.

– When Matt decided to take control of the last play of the game. It didn't matter one bit if they won at that point (although I'm glad they did), what mattered was that, after glimpses along the way, we saw that Matt had finally become the quarterback he was meant to be.

– Scott Porter as Jason Street. What a year he has had.

– The scene between Voodoo and Smash.

All right, so I hit seven there. I was getting warmed up. And I could have picked done one thing: the whole episode, the whole season, the way the show gets to me, the way I forgive it for being a little obvious about the way the big game turned out because the team, the coach, the town deserved that bit of joy.

And I want that second season. Press reports suggest the pickup is close to happening. Let's just get it done, shall we?

"Sopranos," "Amazing Race," "Friday Night Lights," after the jump …

I expect to be expanding on this later but, if you haven't already made plans, be sure to see the "Friday Night Lights"
season finale on Wednesday.

I'm optimistically calling it the season finale because that's the way NBC is referring to it, and because I don't want it to go away. The season finale is structured so that it could serve as a series finale if it had to, but there are still so many questions and characters to deal with, it could also go on. And I don't want it go away.

More about that later. For now:

Having seen "The Sopranos" opener, what did you think? I was bothered by the jumpiness of the opening but am still thinking about the latter stages. Not just the fight, either. More about how incredibly cruel Tony can be — first in thinking that he could say what he did about Janice, while she is sitting across from him, while her loving husband is also there. Then that he could come up with a job for Bobby that would hurt Bobby far more than Tony's fists. Amazing stuff.

As for "Amazing Race," sorry to see Uchenna and Joyce go, even if they already have a million bucks. They are decent people. But any viewer got a sinking feeling when their early-flight gamble didn't work, and it just felt worse and worse as we saw the other players but not even a hint that Uchenna and Joyce had made a connecting flight.

So what have we got left? Eric and Danielle, don't like 'em. The Barbies, don't like 'em. Mirna and Charla, entertained by them but well aware of how annoying they can be. (Target Demo, visiting for Easter, was watching the show without benefit of previous history, and was really getting irked at Mirna and Charla.) Oswald and Danny can seem like the worst players in the world, especially with that newspapers challenge, but I still like them. So I'd be content with them winning, or M&C — but not at all happy if the other teams came through.

Also over the weekend, watched "Man of the Year," the Robin Williams movie that may inspire a post here later about the mis-marketing of some movies, and finally finished "Happy Feet." I've had a post in draft form about "Night at the Museum" — especially about why it managed to make $500 million worldwide — that I hope to wrap up soon, and I may have a few thoughts about "Happy Feet" to add there.

Also, in case I haven't mentioned it in a while, I still get drawn into VH1 Classic. But good heavens, could someone spend a few dollars to remaster the videos? The picture quality is horrible at times, aged and fading.

Winners include "Friday Night Lights," "Scrubs," "Brotherhood," "Baghdad ER," "Boondocks," "Ugly Betty," more …

The list of winners, straight from the Peabodys is below. (You can also find a more detailed announcement here.)

Mental Anguish and the Military National Public Radio
Using candid, sometimes startling interviews, NPR investigates how Iraq War veterans coping with post-traumatic stress disorder are treated, socially as well as medically, at one U.S. military base.Produced by National Public Radio

Crossing East: Our History, Our Stories, Our America Public Radio International
In the first radio series to explore Asian-American history in depth, eight, 54-minute installments drew on sources that included more than 500 hours of oral history interviews conducted for the project.
Produced by MediaRites Productions

Crossing Borders Arizona Public Radio and some 230 public-radio stationsThe nighttime desert seems to have a voice of its own in this vivid audio chronicle of illegal immigrants from Mexico, what dangers their journeys can entail, and why they still take the risk.
Produced by HearingVoices.com

This American Life: Habeas Schmabeas WBEZ, Chicago, and some 500 public-radio stations
This report, about the denial of habeas corpus to terrorism suspects, focuses on the stories of two former Guantanamo Bay prisoners and explains why the right is so fundamental in American law.
Produced by WBEZ Chicago Public Radio

StoryCorps National Public Radio

This ambitious, nationwide project gathers oral histories that will ultimately be archived at the Library of Congress. It also provides NPR`s "Morning Edition" with a stream of moving first-person accounts by Americans ranging from Civil Rights veterans to Hurricane Katrina survivors to Alzheimer`s victims.
Produced by StoryCorps

Defective Parts on Blackhawk Helicopters WTNH-TV, New Haven, CT
WTNH reporters` investigation of quality-control issues at an important local employer, Sikorsky Aircraft, prompted corrective action and a corporate shakeup.
Produced by WTNH-TV

Left Behind: The Failure of East St. Louis Schools KMOV-TV, St. Louis, MOIn 21 reports broadcast over a seven month period, KMOV exposed the school district`s violation of state and federal rules regarding special education and uncovered the school board`s awarding of more than 100 political or nepotistic jobs.
Produced by KMOV-TV

The Education of Ms. Groves NBC

Inspiring but not schmaltzy, this program tracks the learning curve of a wide-eyed, first-year middle-school teacher in Atlanta who discovers her job demands skills and resources as well as idealism.
Produced by Dateline NBC

60 Minutes: The Duke Rape Case CBS

A "60 Minutes" team led by correspondent Ed Bradley delved into the allegations of rape against Duke University lacrosse players and stopped a prosecutorial rush to judgment in its tracks.
Produced by CBS News.

Prescription Privacy/Cause for Alarm WTHR-TV, Indianapolis, IN

A pair of reports – one on inadequate tornado-warning sirens, the other on drug stores` willy-nilly disposal of clients` personal data were enterprising investigations, calls for action – and great local television.
Produced by WTHR-TV

ABC News Brian Ross Investigates: Conduct Unbecoming

Brian Ross` broadcasts and web postings about Rep. Mark Foley`s sexually explicit emails to young Congressional pages triggered new revelations, speeded Foley`s resignation and may have affected the outcome of the November elections.
Produced by ABC World News Tonight, ABC News Nightline, ABC News.com "The Blotter"

Command Mistake WISH-TV, Indianapolis, IN
In a local-station investigation that spread to three continents, WISH demonstrated that U.S. Marines are sustaining head injuries that can kill or cost millions to rehab – merely for lack of helmet padding that costs $30.
Produced by WISH-TV

Galapagos: Born of Fire BBC Two
The Galapagos islands, a fascinating microcosm of Earth, inspired this melding of cinematography and musical score cited by Peabody board members as "stunning," "amazing" and "astonishing."
Produced by BBC, co-produced by National Geographic, BBC Worldwide

American Masters: Andy Warhol: A Documentary Film PBS
Ric Burns`s documentary places Warhol at the center of the late 20th century art world and shows how his work, notoriety and life embodied and influenced the culture of his time.
Produced by Steeplechase Films Inc., High Line Productions, Daniel Wolf Inc., Thirteen/WNET

For My Country? Latinos in the Military mun2

This probing but even-handed documentary examines the social, cultural and economic realities that lead a demographically disproportionate number of young Latinos to enlist in the military and questions whether they are being targeted by recruiters.
Produced by mun2

Baghdad ER Home Box Office

Filmed at the 86th Combat Support Hospital and presented without commentary or narration, this documentary is a horrifying and humbling testament to the dedication of medical personnel confronting the overwhelming brutality of war.
Produced by Home Box Office, Downtown Community Television

Braindamadj`d…Take II CBC

A television producer who suffered a brain injury confounds a dire prognosis. He not only makes a significant recovery but creates a wildly inventive film about his experience.
Produced by Apartment 11 Productions, CBC Newsworld, Canadian Television Fund, RDI, Knowledge Network

When The Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts Home Box Office

Spike Lee`s examination of Hurricane Katrina`s devastation and the government`s neglect of New Orleans in the storm`s aftermath is an epic chronicle of destruction and broken promises, a heartrending document and a profound work of art.
Produced by HBO Documentary Films in association with 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks

Out of Control: AIDS in Black America ABC
In a prime-time news hour, ABC explored the reasons for and consequences of a shockingly underreported fact – that blacks, who make up 13 percent of the U.S. population, now account for more than 50 percent of new cases of HIV infection.
Produced by PJ Productions, ABC News

Why We Fight CBC

Masterful simply as filmmaking, disturbing as connect-the-dot reportage, this documentary links President Eisenhower`s famous warning about the "military-industrial complex" to six ensuing decades of American interventions abroad, to terrorism and to the war in Iraq.
Produced by Charlotte Street Films LTD, CBC TV (Canada), BBC TV (United Kingdom), ARTE GEIE TV (France/Germany), TV2 TV (Denmark), YLE TV2 TV (Finland), WDR TV (Germany), VRT TV (Belgium), SVT TV (Sweden), VPRO TV (Netherlands), NRK TV (Norway), ETV TV (Estonia), European Union Media Plus Program, TVE (Spain)

Brotherhood Showtime

Uniformly splendid acting and a strong sense of place characterize this serial drama about two Providence, R.I. brothers, a rising politician and a smalltime gangster, and their morally compromised pursuits of the American dream.
Produced by Showtime, Mandalay Television

Billie Jean King: Portrait of a Pioneer Home Box Office
Unusually substantial for a sports biography, the film persuasively confirms the tennis champion`s heroic status in women`s history as well as athletics.
Produced by HBO Sports

Elizabeth I Home Box Office

Helen Mirren`s artistry as an actress mesmerizes throughout this beautifully produced movie that focuses on the latter half of Queen Elizabeth I`s reign — a splendid rendering of historic events and intimate details.
Produced by Company Pictures and Channel 4 in association with HBO Films

Boondocks: Return of the King Cartoon Network
An especially daring episode of the animated series based on Aaron McGruder`s syndicated comic strip imagines Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. reviving from a 32-year "coma" and outraging Americans of all colors and creeds by confronting them with truths that he, at least, still holds to be self-evident.
Produced by Rebel Base, Sony Pictures Television

Scrubs NBC

A sweet-and-pungent "Wizard of Oz" parody was just one testimonial to the continuing creative vigor, six seasons into its run, of Bill Lawrence`s hellzapoppin` comedy about the staff of a Los Angeles hospital.
Produced by Touchstone Television

Ugly Betty ABC

Inspired by an internationally popular telenovela, this Americanized version defies category. It`s part comedy, part drama, part soap opera, part fashion-industry satire – but is unmistakably graced with wry intelligence and heart.
Produced by Touchstone Television

Gideon`s Daughter BBC America

This delicate character drama uses a complex father-daughter relationship to explore grief and the cult of celebrity against the backdrop of a nation mourning Princess Diana`s death.
Produced by BBC, BBC America, Talkback

The Office NBC

This American adaptation of the Peabody-winning British hit of the same title — a comedy of workplace manners and politics presented in faux documentary form — has firmly established its own precise voice and studied brilliance.
Produced by Reveille Studios in association with NBC Universal Television Studios

Friday Night Lights NBC

No dramatic series, broadcast or cable, is more grounded in contemporary American reality than this clear eyed serial about the hopes, dreams, livelihoods and egos intertwined with the fate of high-school football in a Texas town.
Produced by NBC Universal Television Studio in association with Imagine Entertainment and Film 44

Good Eats Food Network

Rarely has science been taught on TV in such an entertaining – and appetizing – manner as it is in Alton Brown`s goofy, tirelessly inventive series.
Produced by Be Square Productions Inc.

The Music In Me Home Box Office

What better way to inspire the study of music than with this irresistible collection of artfully photographed vignettes of young musicians, ages 7 to 11, playing everything from classical cello to zydeco accordion.
Produced by HBO Family

Beyond Borders: Personal Stories from a Small Planet Independent Film Channel (Independents Shorts Showcases I & II) and IFCTV.org
Written, shot and edited by young filmmakers, ages 13-19, the nine short films in this series introduce budding artists who convey unique visions of what it`s like to grow up in different lands, under different social and economic conditions.
Produced by Listen Up! Youth Media Network (New York, NY) with Polimorfo (Bogota Colombia), iEarn Sierra Leone (Freetown, Sierra Leone), Evanston Township High School (Evanston, IL), La Camioneta (Guatemala City, Guatemala), Sawtona (Amman, Jordan), Frame By Frame Fierce (New York, NY), Light House (Charlottesville, VA), Spy Hop Productions (Salt Lake City, UT), Our Voice (Kiev, Ukraine)

The Three Amigos HIV/AIDS Prevention Programme SABC (South Africa), OMNI (Canada), SBS 6 (Holland), TVM (Mozambique) & many others

A trio of anthropomorphic, cartoon condoms star in this hilariously memorable HIV/AIDS-prevention campaign that has been made available in 41 different languages.
Produced by Chocolate Moose Media Inc., Quintet Productions

Being A Black Man http://www.washingtonpost.com

This revelatory website created by Washington Post staff defied stereotypes and went far beyond dire statistics and inspiring testimonials, allowing visitors to see, hear and respond to a huge range of history and personal experience.
Produced by washingtonpost.com, The Washington Post

FourDocs http://www.channel4.com/fourdocs
This curated, ever-changing trove of independent documentaries under four minutes in length also teaches the history and how-to of nonfiction filmmaking and creates a community site for filmmaker-citizens.
Produced by Magic Lantern Productions, Channel 4

Catching up with the best new show of the season …

I know, I know, some of you love "Heroes" more. But I suspect you are not watching "Friday Night Lights" as closely as you should. I had missed a couple of recent episodes, but watched them over the weekend and marveled again at everything this show has going. The characters keep getting better, the stories range wide and even when you can guess where it's going, it makes the trip worthwhile. It's not, after all, that Saracen wins the big game, it's that he does it by finding another part of himself, with the help of Street, and that Street finds a better part of himself in the process — and that you share the joy he feels when the coach points out that Street may have found a new path.

The rape story was unnerving, especially since the uneasiness began the moment you see a guy alone in the restaurant on the night of the biggest football game in town. Obviously up to no good. But how great was it that we didn't get a woman-as-victim story, or a nerd-as-hero moment, but a woman who fought and saved herself? And made sense in doing so, since she came from a family of women who understand fighting and self-preservation.

And I just totally loved the game being played in a cow pasture.

"Saturday Night Live," "Friday Night Lights" and — even without a day in its title — "Grease," after the jump …

Not sure if I'll post anything on the Grammys; Beacon Journal pop music writer Malcolm X Abram is blogging during the telecast, and you can find the link on www.ohio.com.

Has been a semi-lazy Sunday, aside from groceries and some other shopping. Felt dragged after Saturday, when I did work, including the difficult, emotional task of covering a local Navy man's funeral. Got through it, but didn't watch much TV other than Thursday's "CSI." Caught up some today.

So, notes:

"CSI" was a strange, grim episode wrapping up the tale of Grissom's fill-in (Liev Schreiber) in a way that made very sure we won't be seeing him again. Very much a departure for "CSI" in its low portion of geek science. At the same time, it could be seen as an argument in favor of the geek scientists. They may have their problems, but they're nothing compared to what the old street cops brought to the table — rape, incest, murder, corruption, a severed hand.

"Grease" is now on. Opening group sing: "Summer Lovin'." Lots of hammy rivalry and shoving for the microphone. Twist announced: The two lowest vote getters among the Sandys and the Dannys will have a sing-off for their survival. Introduction of the judges, with special guest Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Video recap of last week's show, with contestant comments. Much posturing.

Break, so let's talk "Saturday Night Live," with host Forest Whitaker. The digital short wasn't much. Whitaker was obviously a good sport, happy to do some silly business — and to sing — but also willing to let other people run the sketches. In fact, it was Maya Rudolph's night — as Whitney, as half of "Bronx Beat" with Amy Poehler, as Whitaker's duet partner. "Bronx Beat" was giggly just because Poehler and Rudolph went with it. Her Whitney was entertaining, though the sketch dragged on too long. (I'm also wondering how Whitaker felt about the Whitney-mocking considering he directed "Waiting to Exhale." Of course, that could have made him even more all right about it.)

Back to "Grease." We're doing an "Idol"-ish who's-safe thing. Kevin, Derek, Chad and Austin step forward — are all safe. That leaves Matt, Max and Jason. Max is also safe. That leaves it between Matt, the guy who was brought back by the judges, and Jason for the sing-off.

Women's turn: Ashley A, Ashley S, Laura and Kathleen are called forward. Ashley Anderson, the other judge bring-back, is in the sing-off. Ashley S, Laura and Kathleen are safe. Allie, Juliana and Kate are left; Allie gets the sing-off.

The returnees sing first. Max goes with "Can You Feel the Love Tonight." Laura follows with Lloyd Webber's "Jesus Christ Superstar" theme. Very strange choice, and only a so-so performance. Judges more enthusiastic. Next: Ashley S. and Derek. He does "Footloose," with backup dancers. Gee, you think they're trying to give him a boost? Ashley S. does "Take That Look Off Your Face," another Lloyd Webber song. She's getting better; she's gotten that screechy tendency considerably under control, except for a little trouble at the end. And she looked a little orange in the lights.

Judges: High marks from Kathleen, Lloyd Webber, Jim and Snarky Brit, although SB wanted more anger from Ashley S.

Another break, so let me finish my "SNL" thoughts. Other good stuff: Darrell Hammond's Jesse Jackson (and that whole bit, especially the end), Valentine's Day with the Cheneys. Overall, it was a show where I less inclined to fast-forward than usual.

Still in a break, so let's talk "FNL," which I finally watched today. Solid episode, as I have come to expect from the drama. Especially impressed by its refusal to resolve the core issue in an hour, or even to have the main antagonist be genuinely regretful. What a show. I am running out of ways to explain how much I value it.

So now we can stay with "Grease." Kevin sings "Burning Love," Juliana does "Don't Cry For Me Argentina." When I listen to Kevin's Elvisness, I hear Simon Cowell saying "a little too cabaret." Definitely too Vegas. (I know, he's auditioning for a Broadway show, but even "Grease" has more hair on its chest than this.) And he's really having trouble with the melody. Got backup dancers, though.

"Evita" always makes me think of the TV ads I used to see for it during its Broadway heyday, with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin going "not much to ask for. Or something. It was 30 years ago, you know. As for Juliana, decent voice but I feel as if she's dragging out the performance. Lloyd Webber looks as if he's wincing at the end.

Snarky Brit not crazy about Kevin, and thinks Juliana is too polished. Lloyd Webber says neither has made the song their own, the way the previous performers did; seems to be taking the blame for Juliana's performance. Kathleen not crazy about Kevin, either, and unenthused about Juliana. Jim — told to answer "very quickly" — is a huge apologist for both, saying he's seen them better.

Back from a break: Lloyd Webber gives a guarded endorsement to a new "Grease," although he wishes for a more diverse range of performers. (By the way, I haven't mentioned it yet today but the enthusiastic crowd, complete with signs, is quite annoying tonight. I find it not very credible.) Then the expected ga-ga sequence of the people working with ALW, leading into a group sing of "Phantom of the Opera." Not for the first time, I think Lloyd Webber is struggling to listen politely, and to let Billy Bush make the gushy comments. I remember a show on Bravo — back when it was a cultural channel — where Stephen Sondheim worked with some singers. He felt no need to be polite, directly correcting their work, his criticism unvarnished. Let's get him for a "Grease" episode.

Right.

Chad, "My Eyes Adored You." From "Jersey Boys," we're told, as part of an ongoing attempt to use compilation shows as a pretext for considering these Broadways songs. Not great, particularly on the high notes. Kate, "Buenos Aires." She seems to be much blonder. More talky than singing, even in places she could sing harder. Not good on some high notes. Let's see how Lloyd Webber looks … Down at his notes, clapping limited. And he's first up for comment. Spares Chad, who has the flu. Jokes with Kate about investing in his new show. Then calls her a terrific singer. Other judges basically kind.

Austin, "Ease On Down the Road." Big dance routine, not impressive vocal. Kathleen, "Memory." I liked her quite a bit last week. This time, not so much. She's no Betty Buckley. They have to stop showing Lloyd Webber at the end of songs; he seems really not to enjoy himself, no matter what he says after.

And coming up … the sing-off. Videotape of reactions backstage after they were told they were at the bottom of the votes. Tears included. So how is this thing going to work? Jason and Allie were the lowest vote-getters. But the panel will decide who goes home. Song: "Tears on My Pillow," each to sing part of it — Jason followed by Matt, Allie and Ashley A., then back and forth between the two women. After hearing these fragments, I'd keep Jason and, based solely on this performance, Ashley A. even though she's been very bad before. Results after the break.

Judges — only the regular three — make their call. Jason survives. Allie survives. So the two who were brought back for a second chance, Matt and Ashley A., both go bye-bye. And Jason and Allie get to do their regular performance for audience voting. Jason takes "That'll Be the Day." Very unfortunate. Allie does "I Don't Know How to Love Him." Much better.

Recap. Then the judges pick their faves of the week. Snarky Brit goes for Austin and Laura. Kathleen has Derek and Kathleen. Jim picks Max and Laura. Lloyd Webber — who politely avoids punching Bush for once again calling him "World Wide Webber" — calls it for Derek and Laura; Laura "staggered' him. Not sure about that, but Ashley Spencer told me some time ago that she thought Laura was the toughest competition.

And that's enough for this post.

Thanks to the completion of a couple of projects and weather that makes me want to stay indoors, I've been keeping better pace with my TV faves of late. …

First of all, loved the use of Leonard Cohen's "A Thousand Kisses Deep" on "Veronica Mars." Good blending of a song I like with a show I like. Beyond that, thought this "VM" had a better handle on the self-contained story than last week's. And the hooker-and-the-geek story was handled rather well; we knew they were doomed, but it kept defying our cynicism about the hooker.

On the other hand, Veronica's antennae should have gone up when Madison appeared, and should have been vibrating like a theremin when Logan said he had been with someone who disgusted him. And the soapy nature of Logan-Veronica is beginning to wear me out.

Also felt a little tired about "Gilmore Girls," even though I am a longtime member of the Lorelai Belongs With Luke Association. Christopher's reaction felt excessive, and Lorelai failed to make the most obvious point — that Christopher is not the second choice, he was the first choice, long before she knew Luke. Jackson's non-vasectomy was sort of funny but, even by "GG" standards, tough to buy: Sookie would have known that she was pregnant, for one thing, and Jackson would have had clear signs of a vasectomy if he had really had one. On the plus side, though, we'll always have Paris — who can make even an inspiring speech about friendship sound hostile. …

Speaking of hostile, I can understand why "House" did this week's episode, even if I found it slow and a little labored. Still, the show has to remind of periodically of a couple of things. First, that he's a good doctor (underscored every time they figured out a mystery case) even if he is an awful human being. Second, that he's an awful human being for a reason — because, if we don't understand that, then he becomes just a nasty piece of work and not nearly so amusing to watch. Coming off an arc that ended with House having conned the court and his friends, continuing to see House as an unprincipled slave to his addictions, the point about rotten-for-a-reason had to be made in a forceful way. Hence the abuse excuse — wonderfully acted by Hugh Laurie, if not all that well written.

Finally, last night's "Friday Night Lights" actually allowed some good cheer at the end of the episode — the drunken dad's making amends, Slash back in the game, the coach realizing that he had pushed too hard — albeit with some sadness — Saracen's stupid lie and damage to his relationship with the coach's daughter. And I continue to like the way Kyle Chandler plays the coach as audibly unsentimental — the no-hug-coming finish to Slash's reinstatement made the moment.

Caught up with a couple of things, and wedding bells were ringing in both of them. "Grey's Anatomy" even offered two proposals (neither answered yet) as part of an episode that seemed at least partly designed to tidy up some storylines. Not did it stabilize the McDreamy-Meredith relationship (and with some nice talk about what a relationship is), the clinic seemed a way to settle what Izzie does with her money and — although it hasn't been explicit — what the Chief will do after he retires. Sure, the failure of his marriage suggests that he may un-retire. But the Chief can remain part of the cast if he's running the clinic, too, and that leaves open the battle to succeed him.

And what of those two proposals? Beats me. And it may beat the writers, too, if the rumors about T.R. Knight wanting out of the show are true.

As for "Friday Night Lights," it continues to make the argument that it's one of the best dramas on TV right now. Not best new. Best, period. In last week's episode, I liked the way we were reminded — more than once– that the coach both carries his share of insecurities and is a hard-head. I also liked the way the show didn't feel the need to have the coach offer his QB an explanation of game strategy. (Something like, "The play was a good idea, but it was probably going to work only once, so we had to save it as a surprise when we needed it most. …") Of course, this show doesn't feel the need to have any explain motivations or ideas; we'll figure it out as we see what they do, pretty much the way we have to do with people in everyday life. At the same time, though, when words matter to them, they have pretty great words — look at Smash and his family, or the coach and Smash in the diner.

I have no idea where that show's marriage proposal will lead, except that it could be wrapped in trouble. But so could the ones on "Grey's" — or on any show that begins making wedding plans as the turmoil of ratings sweeps looms.