Notes here and there as the final four battle. …

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After the jury vote was revealed on tonight's "Survivor," James gleefully declared that his reign as dumbest contestant ever is over. And he's right …

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Jeff Probst said it best …

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"I got a hit, Schumacher, and Ruddy doesn't count any more."*

– Since I was the guy who asked NBC's Ben Silverman to explain how "My Name Is Earl" and "30 Rock" qualified as family-hour shows, it was with great amusement that I read a New York Times piece with an NBC executive admitting that the 8-9 p.m. slot isn't all that family on Thursdays. The exec told the Times that:

… the family-hour designation should be seen as offering "direction for program development," not "black-and-white expectations" for the audience.

"'It was not to be construed as a return to a strictly defined family hour," he said, featuring wholesome shows like “Little House on the Prairie,” a hit on NBC in the late 1970s and early ’80s.

By the way, the Times story managed to discuss the "MILF Island" episode without ever using the acronym "MILF." Although it did offer an explanation of the term: "referring to a teenager’s crude designation of someone’s sexy mother."

– "American Idol" has announced the finalists in its songwriting contest. The details are after the jump, but just looking at the song titles makes me think I've heard enough before I've heard anything. Examples: "Believe," "You Believe in Me," "You Believed in Me" (because past tense makes all the difference), "All You Will Need," "You Can Do Anything," "Dream Big."

– Is it just me, or was "Saturday Night Live" a humongous snore on Saturday? I'm usually willing to at least sit through sketches, but I found myself muttering "well, I can see where this is going" and hitting fast-forward.

– CBS has announced that the next season of "Survivor" will be shot in high-definition. Oh, goodie. Extra clarity for bug bites, skin tight over ribs and, of course, the pixels needed when swimsuits slip.

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Notes after the jump on "Survivor," the return of "CSI," "Leatherheads" the latest from the Black Keys.

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Notes and spoilers from tonight, after the jump. …

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Comments with spoilers after the jump …

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It's getting late and I'm not going to go into a lot of detail. But the night's spoiler and a few words after the jump …

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Meant to post last night about this and "Lost" but surrendered to weariness instead. Make-ups this morning, starting with the perils of overthinking …

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A most excellent start tonight, as explained with spoilers after the jump. …

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CBS leaked it to Entertainment Weekly ahead of time but after the jump you can find the official announcement today.

One member of my house will be happy that James from "Survivor: China" will be back, but I'm dreading the spectacle of Jonny Fairplay (not to mention actor Jonathan) again…

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"Survivor: China" fans know that fourth-place finisher Denise Martin got in trouble after she claimed she lost her job and ended up taking a demotion when she went on the show. (See one story here, and a statement from her employers here.)

Martin via CBS released this statement today:

I would like to apologize to Mark Burnett, Jeff Probst, CBS, (school superintendent) Nancy Lane, the Town of Douglas and my friends and family. It was not my intention to mislead anyone. I take full responsibility for my actions and hope that you can find it in your hearts to forgive me. I do not feel comfortable about accepting the $50,000. I would instead ask that it be donated to the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation. Please accept my apology. I would also like to thank all the people who have supported me through this experience.

Result after the jump …

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Results and ruminations after the jump …

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Details after the jump …

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