Official announcement after the jump …

Search no further for the final chapter when Warner Home Video unveils America’s favorite teen investigator, with the DVD release of Veronica Mars: The Complete Third Season, featuring a collectible six-disc DVD set with all 20 alluring and gripping final episodes and all-new behind-the-scenes special features. Experience new drama and unlock campus mysteries with Veronica as a college freshman, featuring an unparalleled cast including Kristen Bell, Jason Dohring, Francis Capra, Percy Daggs III, Ryan Hansen, Tessa Thompson, Kyle Gallner and Enrico Colantoni. Veronica Mars: The Complete Third Season is priced to own at $59.98 with [a release date of Oct. 23]. …

· Gag Reel

As the Byrds once sang, funny how a circle is a wheel.

And so, the series ends with Keith in disgrace and out of the sheriff's office, and with Veronica the object of peer-group derision and scandal. (Although, from what we've seen of Hearst and Neptune, I'd think that one incident of coed sex online is rather quickly succeeded by another example of sex online.) Plus Kane is back — and don't I wish they had left Kyle Secor's name out of the opening credits, since that was a serious spoiler. Weevil has apparently returned to a life of crime. And Logan's just ready to be dead, with the only question being who will end up doing the killing.

It was a terrific way to wrap things up, getting back to the sadness that has always suffused "VM," saying that life goes on — but in Neptune, it goes on very badly for the Mars clan.

Indeed, that's what would have made the Veronica-in-the-FBI plot line interesting, because it would have given her a fresh start. Hearst was a new deal of sorts, but so many people from her Neptune past were there, she never really had a chance at approaching people without her baggage coming into view. New work, new city .. lots of possibilities.

Alas, again.

I know there are two hours left to the season. Still…

Last night's show sure seemed to send us down a road to a finish that will serve as the series' end. Like "Gilmore Girls," the folks at "VM" are tidying up in case someone else gets to move into their time slot.

You've got Dick's father returning (and a reminder that Dick really is a wounded bird). You've got the Kendall killing brought back into the mix. You've got Keith seeking formal election as sheriff, and hostile forces — especially the Fitzpatricks — arrayed. (If nothing else, could he please win? Please? My heart breaks for the guy.)

You've got Veronica getting the FBI internship, and drifting away from Piz (who's signed to "Private Practice" for the fall anyway) and the teaser suggesting that she and Logan may have one more clinch in them.

And, in the middle of all that, you have Mac allowed to be happy, and Wallace finding a higher purpose in life.

Also, that whole business about self-contained episodes has once again been thrown out the window; the core characters are as serialized as ever.

My one quibble: Another "big issue" episode, this time about Uganda and child soldiers. Of course, that also feels like a wind-up, the show pushing in some issues they were thinking about getting to later — and probably more subtly — only to realize the clock is running.

Sure feels like we're headed toward farewell. I am trying to prepare for it. It won't be easy; no matter how much you prepare for bad news, it still stings when you get it. Oh, well. It could at least give me an hour next season for "Viva Laughlin" or something.

Some thoughts on Tuesday's telecasts, after the jump …

Well, if there was any doubt that we'd finally get Luke and Lorelai together in a moment that will last — since it's the final episode — "Gilmore" seemed to remove almost all of it in the next-to-last show with (a) the promo for the finale showing a Luke/Lorelai embrace and (b) Rory's decision not to marry Logan. I suspect the show felt enough integrity not to end with two matched-up Gilmores, so Rory had to go it alone in order to give Lorelai a big romantic send-off. (I know. It was shot as a season finale instead of a series one. But it was also shot with the knowledge that it COULD be the series finale.) The bride, by the way, figures that Luke's going to ask Lorelai to take the now-without-April boat trip with him.

I confess to spending a certain amount of time during Tuesday's show considering ways that program could stay around, not least so we could have more time with the Stars Hollow and Yale gangs. To wit:

– While Luke and Lorelai are on a trip, Richard and Emily agree to house-sit for them in Stars Hollow.

– We jump ahead two years, and Paris, having breezed through med school, becomes Stars Hollow's resident physician. You see, her education was partly financed by a special Stars Hollow scholarship that — unknown to her — included a clause requiring her to serve the community.

Of course, it's like "Northern Exposure"! Hasn't "Gilmore" always been full of pop-culture references? This one is just a little more blatant.

– The Kirk Show. I have no idea what the premise would be, except that Kirk would still be in town.

Anyway, for all my rambling, I concede that it is time for "Gilmore" to go. I just would like a reunion special every few years, OK?

As for "Veronica," an amusing episode but not a great one. Paul Rudd was obviously amusing, but the episode as a whole was not a delight. Veronica/Piz was awkward, Logan is back to being a big mope. Still, since I'm trying to keep shows going, if we can't have another season of "VM," how about a series focusing on Mac?

It's been too long without you …

so I may have been happier about last night's episode than I would have been had it aired immediately after the end of the dean-murder arc. But I was just glad to have something, especially since we may be coming to the end of the series and we have to cherish it while we can.

Beyond that, it was also good that Rob Thomas did not take completely to heart the idea that these remaining episodes should be self-contained. Veronica's romantic life — and Logan's feelings about her — continue to be serialized. And Keith certainly hasn't settled in as sheriff; there are too many references to "temporary" to make that plausible, especially when you factor in his shaking up of the department and the Neptune status quo.

Still, even before I began watching last night's episode, I was remembering the experience of reading the short stories of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett and Ross Macdonald after reading their novels. With the exception of some of Hammett's Continental Op stories, I thought the short stories were not as good as the novels — too abrupt, too lacking in texture.

While "VM" last night was better than I feared, I can still look at the terrorism story and see how "VM" would have made a really strong, detailed multi-episode story out of it. Same thing with the bar story; I would have expected Keith to follow the money longer. We see one deputy's indifference, but others are fired; someone's palm had to get greased, and it wasn't just the one bar owner doing it.

Nevertheless, I was so happy the show was back. Love the banter, love the characters — loved Wallace setting Veronica straight, for instance. I am not remotely ready for this crew to vanish into the ozone.

The bad-hair theory of crime, with spoilers if you didn't watch Tuesday, after the jump …

Sometimes even really good shows hit a bump. Last week's "The Office," for example, was far from the show's best work, not even as good as that night's "30 Rock," which was very assured and funny.

"Veronica Mars," as well, finished off its current mystery in a way that felt far from satisfying. If there's a twist at the end, the audience shouldn't see it coming. But I didn't by the stripper alibi, for one thing, and the bad-hair theory kept me suspicious up to the final conclusion. Which was way too "Perry Mason"/"Matlock" for a show that can be as fine as "Veronica." (Also, since Dean O'Dell's wife didn't kill anyone, shouldn't there have been more remorse about that?)

The bad-hair theory says that, if the hair of a key character looks really bad, then we should be all the more suspicious. I haven't tested the theory to any great extent. But it kept lingering in the back of my mind during "Veronica" because Tim's hair was so, well, suspicious. It always felt as if he was in disguise — that at any moment he would be revealed as, I don't know, Edward Kimberly.

Among the things I liked: The way Keith is loving being sheriff. Not just the insistence on "Sheriff Mars," but the whole way he is carrying himself. You can tell how much he wanted to have this job again, and how much tension he's probably carrying because he doesn't want to lose it again.

Should they call it "Studio 60 at the Overlook Hotel"? and other viewing issues, after the jump

Looked like a couple of feet of snow this morning. Felt like a couple of tons. Snowfall had started last night, encouraging staying in last night — and forcing a stay-in this morning until the driveway and roads were clear enough. Especially the driveway.

Besides some work, I did some catching up on viewing. Finally finished "Studio 60" and, man, can I see why NBC decided to put it on hiatus quicker. The whole Matt-is-tripping thing just got sillier and sillier; I would not have been surprised to see Jack Nicholson's face in the photograph.

"Gilmore Girls" took us to an expected place: the crash of Lorelai and Christopher. Moderately well handled — I liked that Sookie asked the key question — but wrapped in twaddle like Rory's going girlish over the instructor.

"Veronica Mars" didn't knock me out, either. Didn't buy Logan as nanny, especially as the self-contained story. And budget caution was noticeable: Were those window shots of Las Vegas printed on cardboard?

Al Franken had his last show for Air America today, and announced he is running for Senate in Minnesota. I like Al, and his was one of the rare talk-radio shows I could listen to for fun. (The other is Stephanie Miller's.) I have no idea how he'll do in voting politics, in spite of his considerable experience as a commentator. But he has paid considerable political dues, including a visit to Akron on behalf of Ohio Democrats before the last election.

Still, I keep thinking of Tom Lehrer's line about movie hoofer-turned-politician George Murphy: "Isn't it great, at last we've got a senator who can really sing and dance?" Mocking, certainly, only Murphy had been elected. As was Jesse Ventura. And that fella Reagan didn't too badly either. Besides, there have been plenty of politicians as funny as Franken, and some might have even been funny on purpose.

Also funny on purpose is Christopher Guest's "For Your Consideration," which I have been checking out on DVD. The Guest stock company is so funny on its own that I was having fun just with the deleted scenes. Not sure how I will end up ranking this among Guest's movies, since his movies get better with repeated viewing over time. I still don't think this is going to be up there with "Waiting for Guffman" or "Best in Show," but it's pretty good. Catherine O'Hara, after all, especially at the end. Harry Shearer. And Fred Willard, Fred Willard, Fred Willard.

Have been watching "Entertainment Tonight's" unbelievable cozying up to Howard K. Stern, including the cameras there for Stern's reunion with Anna Nicole Smith's baby. What a huge load. If Stern really cared about this kid, he wouldn't be using her as a prop in his image-rebuilding campaign. And "ET" is willing to play along in exchange for exclusivity.

And, it being Wednesday, I expect to have a few thoughts later on some of tonight's shows.

"Lost" fatigue, some possible spoilers from last night's telecasts and proof that I am a sentimental fool, after the jump …

I watched tonight's hey-we're-back episode of "Lost" a week or so ago. It was OK. Some questions are answered, and even intriguingly. The overall story puts at least a comma on the saga of Jack, Sawyer and Kate on the small Island of Dr. Moreau, or whatever it is, so that in a week we can get back to seeing more of the core characters back on the big Pleasure Island, or whatever it is.

But here's the thing: I don't want "Lost" to be just OK. I want that feeling where I could talk for an entire week, from the end of one episode to the beginning of the next, about what is going on. I want to feel as if I'm getting closer to something; even when "Lost" gives me info now, I know that it is holding back far more than it is giving. Lately, it's been more like a very long book that I am determined to finish even if it's not that much fun to read.

Still, I watched it. It was OK. Just keep your expectations low.

As for the sentimental fool thing, both "Gilmore Girls" and "Veronica Mars" choked me up.

Loved the "Veronica" line about "Footloose" — and overall I liked the way "VM" was absolutely respectful of its TV-evangelist character; in a way, it was a continuation of last week's don't-misjudge-the-prostitute story. The ending was very nicely done (although, were I Veronica, I probably still would have cubed Madison's car), but even better was the scene with Veronica and the preacher in his office. Tissues, please.

Not so thrilled with the deterioration of Logan, even if he carried off the cell-phone monologue. You pretty well knew Veronica wasn't going to listen past the insults. Interesting, though, that both "VM" and "Gilmore Girls" built key scenes around cell-phone monologues. Anyway, I just wish they would settle this whole Veronica-Logan thing once and for all. It's just toxic for the storytelling to keep dragging it out. And even as we're moving closer to resolution of the dean-murder story, I am tending to forget it's there. Right now the self-contained stories are much stronger.

"Gilmore," then. Big sweepsy thing with Richard's heart attack. Hard to believe Christopher would be AWOL so long, except that — as I was saying to someone after last week's show — leaving is basically something Christopher does, much the way Luke's thing is showing up. The rhythms of Lorelai's jokiness felt off in the early going. And still …

Kelly Bishop as Emily Gilmore was a marvel, from her grand entrance through her gift-shop meltdown. She did not hit a wrong note, and in the last hospital scene with her and Richard you saw a couple who really had figured out a loving partnership. And do not for a moment forget that it is loving. Superbly done, at least to this old fool.

"House" was fine enough, and one where the medical case hardly mattered. But here's one example of why I like the show: When "House" has to negotiate the wheelchair from the observation area down to surgery, I thought sure he would realize that he had to end the bet. After all, being in the wheelchair cost him precious time when someone's life was at stake. But that sort of caring epiphany would not be "House." Even when he briefly abandoned the wheelchair, it was not so much about saving the patient as about proving he was right. And after that, he still thought he could win the bet. House is that kind of rat, after all — and a rat worth watching just about every week.

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.

Last night a little after 9, I turned on "American Idol" and it wasn't very good. There was this guy from Texas, and he didn't really sing. He talked instead. His audition went on forever, it seemed, even though the judges weren't all that excited by what he did.

All right, I'm kidding. In fact, we should probably give some thanks to the president for having the State of the Union address last night, since it made "Idol" just one hour instead of two.

An odd hour at that. Fewer really bad singers, and some decent ones who did not get through, starting with Frank Byers Jr. of Arkansas. He got bashed for being over the top, but I don't entirely see the distinction between his performance ("I Heard It Through the Grapevine") and that by Sundance Head, 27, of Porter, Texas, whose rendition of "Stormy Monday" was good but also flamboyant, and got him sent to Hollywood. A lot depends, as we've seen before, on the story you bring with the voice.

I should digress here to say that the news that Sundance's father was Roy Head had me half-singing "Treat Her Right" this morning, when I watched my recording of "Idol." Biiiiiig radio song in my youth.

Anyway, even there were only four Hollywood-worthy singers showcased during the hour — out of 23 or more chosen — I had the feeling that either the overall quality of singers in Memphis was pretty good (certainly better than the two previous cities), or that the hour was edited to make it seem less excruciating than Seattle and Minneapolis. When the judges start shrugging off people as "nothing special," then there's enough good stuff that they can be picky; I think some of those "nothing special" singers would have gotten through in the Seattle/Twin Cities auditions.

And who has already gotten TV time and a ticket to Hollywood? Besides Sundance, Danielle McCulloch, 18, of Collierville, Tenn., whose torchy ways seemed to affect Simon on a non-singing level; Sean "Castro" Michel, 27, of Bryant, Ark., who already has me curious about what sort of makeover "Idol" will inflict on him; charmingly low-key Melinda Doolittle, 28, of (Some Place I Scribbled And Can't Read), Tenn., and new dad Phil Stacy, 28, of Jacksonville, Fla.

I watched "Veronica Mars" late last night and was not knocked out. Some good stuff, although I have gotten really tired of Logan's moping.

The ongoing attempts to push a self-contained story to the forefront didn't work for me last night. The resolution of the animal-lab tale felt rushed, especially in the context of a show that used to take its time establishing characters and mysteries. I understand the reason for it — to give the occasional viewer something to be satisfied with, instead of demanding loyalty for week after week — but it just doesn't feel like "Veronica Mars."

In an earlier post, I mentioned that "Studio 60" annoyed me with a two-parter because I didn't think it had enough to sustain a two-part tale. With "Veronica," I'm always ready for two and three and four and 18 parts, so one isn't enough. Yes, I know there's the ongoing murder mystery as well. I still feel as if "Veronica" is out of sync.

Sometimes getting to see shows ahead of time can be frustrating. In July, a bunch of us saw a new episode of "The Shield." It was really good. But the show doesn't come back on the air until January. So there was considerable whining about having to wait to see more. It was like getting an appetizer at a banquet, then having to sit through hours of speeches before you get the rest of the meal.

So two episodes of  the third season of "Veronica Mars" arrived in the mail yesterday. And since I had a break between writing my DVD column and covering Leonard Nimoy, I watched them. Now I'm sitting here, knowing that "Veronica's" third season doesn't start until Oct. 3, and I've also seen the Oct. 10 telecast and, well, I WANT TO SEE THE OCT. 17 EPISODE AND I WANT IT NOW.

Regular readers of this blog know that I am a "Veronica" fan. But I had some fears going into the new season. Veronica and her peers have gone off to college, for one thing, and that's a significant change to deal with. And instead of doing a season-long story, the show will have three shorter serials, so new viewers can join in easily. And, in its third season, "Veronica's" characters have so much history — both chronological and emotional — that it still has to walk the high wire between being too obscure for potential new fans and being too obvious for people who have memorized every detail.

I am pleased to report that "Veronica" gets two out of three. The shift to college starts off very well; imagine, for starters, how Veronica might do in a criminology class. The show recognizes the ways that college can be just like high school, so there are similarities in the characters' interaction. But it's also a place where someone like Veronica has to realize that she didn't learn everything in high school; the two episodes refer more than once to how well people judge others' character, and that's an issue for Veronica and for her father, Keith.

The shorter story arc actually feels better than the longer ones of the first two seasons. By the end of the second episode, it feels as if things have moved very fast and that more revelations are coming soon — a big reason why I WANT TO SEE THE OCT. 17 EPISODE AND I WANT IT NOW.

The one flaw may be in trying to bring new viewers up to speed. There is a lot of explanation and even introduction woven into the first show, relationships sketched, references to the past. If, for example, you don't know what a jerk Dick Casablancas has been, you get ample new evidence.

But the many layers of "Veronica" can't all be covered in a show that is still moving rapidly forward, so I suspect some new viewers will be unclear why Logan is so sad, or where Kendall fits into everything. But I urge those viewers to watch because soon enough they will see that "Veronica" is funny and clever, dramatic and surprising. And those of you who have been watching should need no more convincing — only a painful cry of "Is it Oct. 3 yet?"

If last night's episode was the last of the season, it would be a pretty dazzling ending. (One quibble: Shouldn't Veronica have thought of Mac as math tutor? First person I thought of.) Once again, money and power had reigned in Neptune. Justice would be denied. Veronica, Logan, Keith, Wallace — all would have emotional baggage to carry into another season, while evildoers like Woody and Aaron would still be safe somewhere.

Of course, it's not the last episode, and the promos promise some resolution next week. But I hope whatever explanations we get, they don't undercut "Veronica's" core issues: the class warfare never ends, that pain doesn't just go away, that life is hard and unfair, and still all we can do is figure out the right thing, regardless of consequences. And I have to admire any show that can fill me with dread for an hour — and refuse to comfort me at the end.

I laughed — very hard — at "The Sopranos" on Sunday night. Wasn't alone, either, since this was a night in our regular "Sopranos" gatherings with co-workers, so the laughter was not mine alone. The Ben Kingsley stuff was funny enough. Mugging Lauren Bacall — one of those things where you think, oh, no, they wouldn't DARE, and then they did. I know at some point, probably even next week, that the show is going to get back to serious business. Still, as I've said before, the makers of the show know that every episode counts these days; they're obviously determined to leave people with the sense that this was a great show, one that could do anything, including comedy — and last night was gut-busting.

I didn't get around to "The West Wing" until this morning. An all right episode. Liked the way Josh went to Sam, since it invoked the scene where Josh brought Sam into the Bartlet campaign; unfortunately, these being smart characters, they then had to talk about how this was similar to that earlier moment, which took some of fun out of it. (Rob Lowe's oddly stylized performance also grated quickly.) The switcheroo at the end of the Bartlet/Santos conflict wasn't much fun either. And I hope the NBC promo was deliberately misleading with its hint that Santos might pick Vinick as his new VP; that's way too tidy for a show that was built in a lot of ways on messiness. As we were reminded every time Josh had to handle a pile of papers.

This was a weekend that began with frustration; I had called a guy Friday morning for a story I thought I would need to write and still hadn't heard back from him by the time my workday officially ended. There was some frustration near the end, too, when the office called about the passing of Linn "Barnaby" Sheldon, to ask if I wanted in on the story. By that point, we had company coming, and I had to pass. I did know Linn, a little, and will probably have some notes about him here later.

In between those points, though, were domestic pursuits — painting, yard work, cleaning house — involving all the folks in the House of Heldenfels, ending with a home that looked and felt better. There were also chances for TV in the gaps.

"Gilmore Girls" was very good for about half the episode, where we saw that Mrs. Kim has her own Mrs. Kim; a vivid reminder how deep the cast is, with Emily Kuroda doing a terrific job. Then, as the show got back to its arc — the Luke/Lorelai wedding or not — it struggled. Lorelai's drunk scene, while showing off the way Lauren Graham can play multiple dramatic notes effortlessly, felt too grimly, deliberately sad, especially when we remember that Lorelai has put herself into this situation. At the same time, though, with Amy Sherman-Palladino officially leaving "GG" at the end of this season, I have to wonder how the new creative team will maintain the show's tonal approach — and if, Aaron Sorkin-like, she is going to leave the show in a horrible little box that the new team will struggle to escape.

I very much enjoyed "Veronica Mars" although I have no idea what I really know about the bus crash. Liked the way that grasping Kendall is now connected to the Fitzpatricks, although I do wonder why no one came across this connection before. Of course, Neptune is a town where most people spend a lot of time NOT looking for the truth. The Duncan clue at the end baffled me, though. Are we really to think that Aaron was not a murderer. And if not, weren't his dealings with Veronica at the end of Season 1 just the tiniest bit extreme? Still, I liked the Wallace-Jackie scene where Wallace spoke so cruelly to her, since it reminded us of how skillful young people are at saying horrible things.  And always enjoy Tina Majorino's presence; her reactions to the unexpected prom date were delightful.

"Veronica" addendum. One reader sent these notes along: "Remember Kendall went to Logan's to "sell" him real estate?  She took hair out of Duncan's drain in the shower and they planted the evidence.  All he has to do is have reasonable doubt with one jury member.  OJ Simpson, Robert Blake, if you are famous and rich, sometimes you get off.  Veronica speculated that Arron killed Lily with an ashtray.  Rumor has it that the actress that plays Lily will be in the last episode so I am thinking another flashback at what happened that night. As for him trying to kill Veronica, more interesting storyline if Arron is out of jail.  Remember, Logan mom's body has not been found.  Here's hoping the new CW gives Veronica another season with it being available to most of the country and not getting moved for a game of some kind of sports."

Thanks for the info. But that shower scene has bugged me because it was so unclear about what was going on — and I remain dubious about Kendall's ability to extract a hair and know whose it would be, especially considering the traffic through that place. Let us now resume the original post…

The bride and I also took in the two-hour return of "Alias." I am not a fan of the show, which always feels exciting for about an hour and then just exhausting. The return was entertaining, and I have a mild curiosity about where it's going, but I can't get too crazed. Seeing Jennifer Garner playing pregnant with her thinner, post-pregnancy face was intermittently amusing. And the closing scene was a giggle simply because one of my TV mantras is that no one ever really dies on "Alias."

And now let's all charge into the new week. I'm really looking forward to "When Andrea Met Kellie…"

I did not expect to go this long between posts, but the days filled themselves up — chasing down a cat to take to the vet, putting a fence back up around a flower bed, Easter morning at church, grocery shopping, giving the grill its spring inaugural. Today at work I was hip-deep in a non-TV project, now finished.

Watching was done, too. Friday night, we kicked back with "Serenity," the big-screen continuation of "Firefly." Sunday night was devoted to '"The West Wing" and "The Sopranos," and in between there I caught up on "Veronica Mars" and "Gilmore Girls." I keep thinking the viewing menu included something else, but right now I can't remember what it was.

Notes on all that viewing:

– I laughed more at "The Sopranos" than at any other recent episode as the guys exhibited their homophobia in so many different ways. For Paulie, of course, it was all about him. Tony's stumbling explanation of how guys get a free pass for any homosexual acts in prison was priceless. And I really like the way they're treating Christopher's NA sponsor, the latest in a line of characters who are not hoods but still want to hang out with some.

At the same time, though, the guys' reaction to Vito's secret life reminded us how unenlightened they are about many things; even young guys like Christopher can't handle the idea of men with men. Even though Tony was less dismayed than the others (and nice to see that his change brought us back to his post-shooting introspection), even he felt social pressure from the others — until that pressure was a challenge to his authority.

As for Vito, I'd like to think that he has found a place where he can be himself and is out of harm's way; the implication in Tony's attitude was certainly that Vito is fine as long as Vito doesn't come back. Unfortunately, there's no such thing as out of harm's way on this show, as we saw early on in the "College" episode.

– "The West Wing" offered some civics lessons, as Santos is learning that even a transition period comes with hard lessons, and old friends are not necessarily the best new allies. And it held out some fun hints of what could be if the show wasn't ending now, by beginning to fill some staff positions. But overall the hour dragged, and I expected more for Bartlet's farewell to Leo than false bonhomie bucking up everyone else.

– "Gilmore Girls." Emily is right. It's time for Lorelai to step into the middle of the Luke/April situation. It's sure not easy emotionally for Lorelai to keep herself apart. And it appears that just about everyone else on the show has had more conversation with April than Lorelai has.

As for ongoing plots. the Rory and Jess thing was a waste of air time (even if it gave the promo makers something to hang the episode on). And Rory is just a bore to watch (partly because Alexis Bledel is bringing little to the part), her attraction to Jess no more convincing than her ambivalence about Logan. Not a great episode overall. Luke's accompanying the field trip kept seeming to go somewhere, only it had nowhere to go. And for all the kerfluffle about Lorelai's parents being in town, why has it not occurred to her that they might be house-shopping for Luke & Lorelai — a very Emily wedding present, yes?

– "Veronica Mars." Not bad, and it feels as if we're getting closer to something on the big mystery. Some interesting visuals on the dream sequence. Lot of empty air, though.

– "Serenity."  Of the three folks under this roof, I am the one least enamored of "Firefly," so I may not be a great judge of "Serenity." While it wasn't completely lacking in entertainment, it never elevated beyond being a so-so action picture. Of course, on a Friday night when we were all eager to kick back, I appreciated the way the movie made few demands on me.

In spite of the ambition in yesterday's post, the day got away from me. I had a story about SportsTime Ohio that ended up consuming part of the day and evening; it was after 8 p.m. before I had the information I needed to write. And while I was working on that, I was trying to track the two local contestants on "Deal or No Deal" to get something about them in today's paper. Since I was on the phone during the end of one player's journey, I ended up e-mailing an NBC publicist for the results, then wrote a brief item about it.

By which time it was well after 9, so the night's viewing was "Everwood" (on recorded delay) with the bride. I got through part of "Veronica Mars" after that, but it was late by then and sleep was demanded. Finished "Veronica" this morning.

So, some thoughts on recent viewing:

"Veronica Mars": Decent episode, although it was pretty clear that Thumper was in the stadium bathroom before the show revealed it. (At least, I think he was in the stadium. Some tricky editing there.) I continue to like the way Tina Majorino has become part of the show; she knows how to do both intelligence and vulnerability. And Steve Guttenberg is fun to watch, although I wonder if the writers are, in essence, playing to his weakness — making Woody transparently suspicious-looking because anything subtler is not going  happen with Guttenberg. Very much liked the way Jackie handled Wallace. And was there anything more loaded with tension than the scene of Veronica and Logan dancing? Talk about issues…

But probably the best thing about the episode is that I don't have to wait a week to watch another new one, since "Veronica" moves its new telecasts to Tuesday beginning tonight.

"The Sopranos": Sunday's episode was the first one this season I had to watch in regular time, since HBO sent out the first four for review before the season started. And I was watching it with friends as part of a regular "Sopranos" gathering, with the two previous weeks' episodes viewed before we got to the new one. My one beef: that Tony's spiritual awakening in the hospital seems to be over. I know, for some things he has no attention span, but the near-death experience after the shooting should have set him off on a more extended journey. But maybe I'm asking too much of Tony.

Vito in the leather bar was weirdly hilarious — loved the cap — and I'm really wondering how that will play out. The Johnny Sack scenes were touching; as calculating and cold as Johnny can be, we keep getting reminded that his love for Ginny (and, by extension, their family) is absolute — far deeper than what Tony feels for Carmela. So, of course, it had to become an issue of weakness.

Also liked the event-planner dialogue with AJ, a nice reference to the previous season and to AJ's overall aimlessness.

As for the bodyguard story, well, didn't you sense soon after seeing this guy that someone was going to pound him? (I suspected Christopher would get the chance to show the difference between bodybuilding and street fighting.) The show's deftness was in the way Tony ended up doing it.

"Everwood": I'm on and off in terms of watching the show, although I like it for the most part when I do. (I did cring on Monday night at the way mastectomies' aftermath were treated as loathsome scarring.) At its best, it reminds me a little of "Veronica Mars." The characters are allowed to be smart and articulate, but not in the fake-grownup way of "Dawson's Creek." And their emotions feel genuine. I also like that it's not a teen show, even though many of the characters are young.

Yesterday I was talking to Glenn Gordon Caron, the writer-producer behind "Moonlighting" and now "Medium," and he was explaining how "Medium" is really a show about married, settled grownups — something that can be a challenge for young TV writers to handle. He's right, too; "Medium" repeatedly sets up opportunities for melodrama, then dials it down to a reasoned discussion. "Everwood" often does the same thing, testing the characters but not making them cartoons. But that may also explain why The WB never seemed as enthusiastic about "Everwood" as it did about lighter and simpler shows.

"Gilmore Girls": Not sure about this one, especially with the return (again) of Jess in tonight's episode. Didn't buy for a minute Rory's getting back together with Logan — and was disappointed that Paris was shuffled off again in short order.  Am wondering when Lorelai is going to get off the pot and deal with Luke about his daughter. It's long past time.

I've been waiting several weeks for a really good new "Veronica." I don't think last night's was it.

Part of my objection may be plot fatigue, which was also a factor in last night's "Lost." This late in the season, I don't want just another hint. I want answers. And I don't feel as if I'm any closer to answers on "Veronica" than I was months ago — that the show is toying with me because it doesn't know exactly where it's going. It's way too "X-Files," a show that was notorious for painting itself into a corner and then throwing out everything you knew, just to keep the narrative going. And the Keith investigation wasn't as fleshed out as it should have been.

Was there good stuff in "Veronica"? Well, yeah. The bizarre little homage to "Arrested Development," for one thing. And Logan right now is the show's most intriguing, tortured and devious character. But even there, I didn't buy entirely into his romantic change in direction, especially when it was rooted in boredom with video games.

Please, "Veronica." More, better, now.

2.I'll be in a cone of silence re "Veronica Mars" for the next few days, since it's being pre-empted on the local UPN affiliate for a Cleveland Cavs game. Have already made note of the delayed-telecast time — 9 p.m. Saturday — and now just have to remember to set the DVR.

I suppose I should be grateful that I don't have to worry about one more show tonight, especially when "Lost" is new (finally) and I have to keep tabs on "American Idol." (Barring technical difficulties, there should be a post-"Idol" podcast with me and Amy Gustafson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press online later tonight.)

But, as I said in an earlier post, it's been such a long time since we had new "Veronicas" and last week's newbie wasn't that good. So I'm ready for something better. All right, I'm ready for anything. I just hope tonight's "Lost" measures up.

I did have fun this morning when I finally got to last night's "Amazing Race." Almost did a complete post on it called "Nice Guys Finish First — and Last" because the cast at the moment is for the most part kind of likable — or at least not making me hate anyone. Yes, I could have done without the Overheated Guys' latest blunt longing for women. But it was still overall the "Race" the way I like it — competitive, entertaining (loved the bottle-bashing stunt) and not mean-spirited.

As for tonight's viewing, I have seen "Heist" (the new NBC series, not the superior David Mamet movie) and you don't have to. It's a caper series, one of several out there at the moment, and I was bored with the caper before the first episode was over. It has hoped for comparisons to "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" (the Brangelina movie, not the 1996 series starring Scott Bakula and Maria Bello), since "Smith" director Doug Liman is also involved with "Heist."

But when you stopped staring at the stars, '"Smith" was an empty movie. "Heist" also feels like a show getting by on superficial charm — all looks and style with nothing much to support it, other than the sublime presence of Seymour Cassel. In other words, it's Ace Young.

When I finally sat down to see Wednesday's telecast of "Veronica Mars," I was ready to be dazzled. It felt as if it had been forever since there had been a new episode, and I was long past ready for one.

The episode was all right, not great. I did like the scenes with Logan, since to the end it was not clear if he was a sincere suitor or a master manipulator. But other stories and relationships felt less sure-handed. And, since I was primed for good stuff, it was all the more disappointing when it wasn't there.

Is that disappointment the fault of the show, since most series have off weeks? Or am I to blame, for expecting a high level of accomplishment that wasn't there?

I'll blame the show. After all, there are programs that we come to with high expectations that do deliver. "The Sopranos" came back from its long hiatus with a very good episode, and tomorrow night's is even better. As I said in a column about the show, with the end of the series in sight, the makers of "The Sopranos" are acting as if every single episode counts, not just one here and there leading to a big finale.

But the quality of the early episodes has been so high, viewers are going to expect the show to maintain that — and it may not be able to do so every week. I thought of that when watching the season finale of "The Shield" next week.

I'll have more to say about "The Shield" in a separate post. But this has been a terrific season, both through the addition of Forest Whitaker as a "good" guy who is as ruthless and unscrupulous as Mackey, and in the impact of Whitaker's presence on all the other characters. The intensity has been incredible; what might have been cat-and-mouse in lesser hands is more like cobra-and-mongoose here.

Still, because "The Shield" has been so compelling episode by episode, I was prepared for something epic in the season finale. Make no mistake, it's good. It has an air of tragic inevitability for anyone who has been watching closely this season. And there's a funny little surprise in the middle of the drama. Even so, it disappointed a little because it did not top everything leading up to it.

This wasn't a case of waiting for a show to return, as with "Veronica Mars." It was instead a matter of getting so deeply involved in a series that I wanted an ending whose power would carry me over to the next (and possibly final) batch of episodes.

"Grey's Anatomy" beat the Olympics Sunday night in the national ratings. "American Idol" crushed the games on Tuesday night, and "House" did so in some markets (including Northeast Ohio). I see a bad night coming for the Olympics.

Why tonight? New "Idol," for one thing, where the field will be narrowed one more time before fan voting starts next week (and telecasts expand to three nights a week). I'll be watching.

New "Lost," also, and one that sounds as if it will have some important plot developments. I'll be watching here, too.

"Bones" will probably do well, since it will follow "Idol." The "One Tree Hill" crowd will probably remain loyal. Too bad CBS and its corporate companion UPN are basically rolling up the carpet — with reruns of "Criminal Minds," "CSI:NY" and (waaaaa) "Veronica Mars." It could have made things even rougher for NBC, especially with younger viewers.

I'm tempted to say the Winter Games will end up third for the night, behind "Idol" and "Lost." Of course, they could run a strong second in each of the first two hours and then draw enough people at 10 p.m. to make a good night of it. But it won't bode well for NBC during the second week of the Olympics, when "Idol" will fill five hours of prime time (two hours of performances on Tuesday and again Wednesday, and an hour-long results show on Thursday). Success there will undoubtedly encourage the other networks to be even more aggressive the next time the games come around.

Don't get me wrong. I like watching the Olympics, as I have said in other posts and will say again in a column in tomorrow's Beacon Journal. But I don't like them so much that I'll give up the big serialized stories on "Idol" and "Grey's" and "Lost."

Speaking of "Idol," I'm still irked that the show kept the Hissy Twins around on Tuesday's telecast. A far more entertaining scenario would have been holding them to their resignation from the competition (or, better yet, holding Hissy 1 to his resignation but keeping Hissy 2, since H1 shouldn't have spoken for him when quitting).

But "Idol" is very much a soap opera, especially in this stage, and I'm sure they didn't want to give up a couple of outrageous players too soon.

I reversed some of my viewing tonight. My wife was out for most of the evening, so I recorded "Lost" and waited for her return, since that's one of the shows we like to watch together. Instead, I watched "Veronica Mars" in real time. And, because this was one of those nights with lots of overlapping programs, I had a VCR running for the Grammys while the DVRs handled other shows. Besides, this way I can take the videotape into the office tomorrow and watch it while I do a few other things.

As for "Lost" and "VM," I don't know which made me dizzier. We find the hands of the Fitzpatricks in yet another pie on "Veronica," and we see Sawyer and Charlie forming a bizarre, dangerous alliance on "Lost." I was probably more involved in "Veronica" since it was tossing off clues right and left to the bus mystery, and it is so good at showing how very, very mean people can be to each other — and not only young people, although their cruelty can seem especially gifted. But both it and "Lost" took parallel tracks on at least one issue — the role of the outcast in society.

"Veronica Mars" is hip deep in lost souls and social pariahs; so is "Lost." On "Veronica," the outcasts can be the most sympathetic of characters; "Lost" is certainly making us ache for Sawyer and has tried, with less success, to make us feel some sympathy for Charlie — although I think there's more to be done with a Logan/Sawyer comparison chart.

I am increasingly obsessed with "Lost" as Wild West; I think I counted three difference western references from Sawyer. But there are other things that just make me go whoa, as when Kate's mom showed up in the diner scene.

In a sign of progress in my home obligations, I actually managed to watch "Veronica Mars" on the same night it aired. All right, not all of it — about half last night, and half this morning, and all of it from a recording. But I'm getting closer to real-time viewing. I may even be able to see most of tonight's "Survivor" as it unfolds for the rest of the Eastern time zone.

Of course, it helped that "Lost" was a rerun last night, although I would have preferred a new one. Like many of you, I get frustrated by the load of reruns in a TV season, especially with a show like this, where you're trying to follow a narrative that keeps stalling or looping back on itself. This being "Lost," I wonder if the rerun was carefully chosen to refresh our memories about something that will be important in the weeks ahead. Still, since last week's episode was not one of their best, I fear wheel-spinning and delays while they figure out what to do next.

But getting back to "Veronica," I liked the way we went from bus-mystery questions to Weevil riding the bus — one more way the show plays with our perceptions, with the scene making me think for a moment that we were flashing back to the crash. And, mystery aside, keeping Wallace's father in the picture — as an active, good parent, no less — was a good touch. While I have no idea where this will all lead (and I have enough respect for "Veronica" to figure any guess I come up with will be wrong), I love the ride. Although I still think the FBI shouldn't have given up on Veronica so quickly…

I did like the twist in the middle of "Veronica" — when we found out she wasn't as innocent as we have come to expect from watching shows that aren't as well made as "Veronica." And it was a nifty way to tie up some storylines, while starting a new one for Wallace. But I set a high bar for "Veronica" and it didn't always reach it. The end suggested the FBI is all done with Veronica, when there seemed to be enough evidence to keep interrogating her as a witness if not as a suspect. And I hope that the settling of this story means that at some point we'll get back to the bus mystery.

"Earl" and "The Office" had good things. But I've also felt as if I'm trying to shake a bug today, and it seemed especially pronounced when I was watching TV. Have you noticed that, when you're even a little bit sick, TV feels slower? It's as if your brain has reduced the pace at which you receive images because you can't process them very quickly.

I checked on last week's "CSI" for a couple of reasons. One was that I wanted to see how scary-looking Faye Dunaway had gotten; she had looked bad when she did that WB reality series and I was hoping it was an aberration. No such luck. Age and what appears to be some cosmetic surgery have not been kind to her. In a strange way, though, the look fit her character; I think there's a real-life Vegas star who had a romantic connection to a mobster, and who in more recent years looked as overdone as Dunaway did on "CSI."

The other reason I watched was that this spring the bride and I are going to Las Vegas; she has been there before, while it's something I have just dreamed about for years. (The dream was very specific, too: Renting a convertible in L.A. and driving across the desert, hitting Las Vegas at night, with its lights a beacon out of the darkness.) So I have not only been reading up on modern-day Las Vegas — and watching cable specials about it — but thinking about the mythology I have accumulated from books and movies and shows like "CSI." Thursday's episode was awash in the mythology, from the lavish modern settings to the echoes of the city in the '60s. I'm really curious about how the real thing will measure up. For instance, will it look as startlingly colorful as "CSI" in HD?

The last couple of days have been interesting in ways I'll talk about another time — albeit ways that have nothing to do with television, except in their keeping me away from the tube.

I plan to seek solace for the next couple of hours by pulling the covers up to my chin and watching my DVR'ed "American Idol" from last night and the last couple of "Gilmore Girls" that I've missed. I know, how girly does that sound? Next thing you know, I'll want a mug of cocoa and a pair of pink fuzzy slippers, and will start talking about how dreammmmmmmy that George Clooney is.

Well, at the risk of adding to those girly suspicions, I freaked out briefly tonight when I was setting up the DVR. More meetings tonight, although I hope to be home in time for "Lost." But I'm taking no chances. DVR set for "Lost," check. "One Tree Hill" for the wife, check. '"American Idol," gotcha. "Skating With Whoever," well, I think I have a review copy somewhere but let's be safe, check. "Veronica Mars …"

Veronica?

Veronica?

Oh, my, there's no "Veronica"!! The local UPN affiliate is running a Cavs game. I like the Cavs. I watch the Cavs. But where's my "Veronica"? I haven't seen a new episode since — well, all I can remember is that I was a lot younger and had less gray hair.

Anxiety ensues. I check the UPN Web site to see if "VM" is actually on the network. Yup. More searching to see which episode is airing. "Blast From the Past," it says, without one of those big "new" or "fresh" labels that networks stick on their shows so you'll realize you're not stuck with another rerun.

"Blast" sounds like a familiar title. Quick, to the episode guide! Ahhhhhh. A rerun.

Oh, I still wish I had a "Veronica" episode to watch. Any "Veronica" episode would be calming right now. But with all this other new stuff filling up my DVR's memory, I'm happy for a chance to get through some of the backlog.

Now, if I could just remember where the cocoa is….

Kind of a snore tonight, although I suspect they knew that going in. And so tried to save it with that scene at the end.

Snore 1: That Meg was the character who died. She was, after all, toast in the alternate ending online last week, and — while viewers preferred the original, televised ending — the alternate ending offers the possibility that her death was not as described in tonight's show. But even if you didn't see the alternate ending, there was that Big Fat Hint early in this episode, when she worries that she might die and wants Veronica to see that her child is taken care of.

Snore 2: The jury story. Oh, it had some good things, especially the way that Veronica did not save the day; it was another juror who got to be Henry Fonda — or Robert Cummings, if you know your old-TV history. A very different character who ''sees all sides of every question and constantly seeks the truth." (That's from the original "12 Angry Men," by Reginald Rose. Yeah, I'm showing off a little.) The jury story also set up a way for Veronica to stay in Neptune after high school, an issue that's been lurking in the background this season. But the whole thing still felt a little too by-the-numbers.

Snore 3: Well, not a snore, just a nagging question. Why is Steve Guttenberg, who does not rank among our better actors, in this show — and what is the deal with his eyebrows? They bugged me all through "Poseidon Adventure," and they're bugging me here, too.

Disappointment: The way the stolen tapes may bring Aaron Echolls back on the scene. He's a thoroughly creepy character but Neptune is hip-deep in creeps. Bringing him back feels redundant, and I don't expect redundancy on "Veronica." And the rationale for why the deputy stole the tapes felt like something taken from a much inferior show.

So was there a plus side? Well, there was the look on Logan's face as he watched the tapes. There was just about everything Enrico Colantoni did. And there was the return of Wallace, whom I missed very much, so much that his return almost made me forgive all the shortcomings of the episode.

Almost. This feels like one of those mid-season slumps even good shows sometimes suffer. Let's hope it proves brief.

I wish that either "Lost" or "Veronica Mars" would get out of that 9 p.m. Wednesday time slot. There must be a plot-twist limit for any time period, and one of those shows by itself uses up the quota every week. With both there, well, all the obsessing over the twists makes me too tired to start the day on Thursday.

In fact, I waited until this morning to watch "Veronica," mainly because I wanted to see the alternate ending posted on AOL in close conjunction with the actual telecast. So I watched "Veronica" and dug it as always. If I wanted to push the Dashiell Hammett parallel from my "Lost" posting, I would let "Veronica" be "The Thin Man," with almost all the good characters on the show playing Nick to Veronica's Nora. (Of course, some Nicks are better than others: Keith and Logan are much better at the banter than the increasingly woebegone Duncan, and once again I miss Wallace.) OK, so we all knew that the vice principal wouldn't put a snoop like Veronica in charge of documents unless he had something in mind. It still led down such fun trails. And I like that they're making more and more room for Tina Majorino.

The twist at the end of the telecast was quite satisfying, a good way to keep me hooked for another week. As if I needed another hook. Then I went to the alternate ending, which took the original hook and attached a couple of more hooks to it. If I hadn't seen the original ending, I might have found that engaging, or at least bold. As it was, the original hook seemed plenty to fret about without piling on the extra material. We'll see what viewing voters decide, and which way my obsessing will have to go. At least "Lost" is a rerun next week. I need the rest.

Well, that cold I mentioned is a persistent creature, and one I'm getting very tired of. It's been hanging on today, so after a brief stop at the office, I came home to work. Which proved more difficult since my cable was out for a couple of hours, not only knocking out the TV but also my Internet connection. I've missed chatting here.

Still, I caught up with last week's "House" and then watched a preview of tomorrow night's episode, which ends with one of those twists so good that I dare not reveal it to you here. But even before the episode gets to the twist, it's yet another "House" tour de force, moving back and forth in time, inserting characters into scenes in inventive ways, operating like an especially dizzying stage play — and on top of that, throwing in an emotional kicker that hit me especially hard. Plus a guest-starring role by Allison Smith, who seems to be everywhere lately.

This is a show that has become so sure of itself, it is absolutely fearless. Last week's episode, with Cameron trying out meth, was one example. (This week, it's Chase at the center of the pinwheel.) It wasn't the main plot, but it forced you to look at a character in a different way, while not going so far that you found her actions unbelievable. And the show is just nervy. A reader had already e-mailed me to take a look at the address of House's home, and there it was, 221B. Same as Sherlock Holmes.

Besides "House," I finally got around to last week's "Veronica Mars," if only to be ready for the stunt telecast this week. Once again, the show juggled an incredible number of stories, character expansions and even social issues in a single hour, without feeling overstuffed. I'm not sure about it all — Logan's turning hero, Duncan's nightmares — and I am really missing Wallace, who's important in terms of how we see Veronica. And I missed several bits of dialogue thanks to Channel 43's kicking off the sound during its superfluous weather alerts. (By Wednesday night, everyone of at least modest intelligence knew the weather was getting tricky.) But I still really like it and am glad I waited to watch. "Veronica" just isn't a show to watch while fighting sleep or allowing distractions.

While I was watching those things, though, the lack of cable/Internet connections kept me feeling isolated. Yes, technological breakdowns can force us to consider things from different perspectives. Thanks to a previous cable TKO on Sunday, I listened to the first part of the Browns game on the radio — but they didn't sound any better than they looked once the TV was back. But it was just weird not having the usual access to things. It's another reminder about one of my pet themes, that the advances in technology create gaps for the people who can't afford to keep up. And if you feel behind for a day, how will it feel if you're behind every day?

The networks, of course, are rushing forward so fast that they're already creating gaps in the interest of profit. That exclusive "CSI: Miami" scene available only on the Internet, for instance. (A scene, by the way, that was also a huge promotion for a car company.) Or the plan to make some new "Lost" content available only through a cell-phone company and then on the "Lost" second-season DVD. And that's just what's happening in entertainment.

But, as I've said, I have ranted about that before. And will again, probably tomorrow, when I give a talk at the University of Akron. So I'll give it (and me) a rest now, except to say that it's good to be back.

I like to guess what's going to happen on my favorite TV shows, but I don't really want to know until I see an episode. I like seeing all the turns happen, I like that burst of surprise (as was provided by last night's "Lost"). So for the most part I try not to know what's happening ahead of time — staying away from possible spoilers, to be sure, but also trying to avoid promos (which have sometimes given away WAY too much).

Now I'm wondering if I also have to figure out a way not to watch episode credits. That will be difficult, given that the credits roll while the show is in progress, but "Veronica Mars" really put me off my game last night.

Yes, I still love the show. And it was a good episode. Although the Joss Whedon cameo was pointless, isn't that what cameos usually are?

But here's the thing: One of the little twists in it was the return of Aaron Echolls, the murderous dad played by Harry Hamlin. And here's the problem: Hamlin was listed as a guest star in the opening credits, so I knew he was going to show up — and didn't get much of a kick when he appeared in the jail-cell scene. It would have been much cooler if Hamlin had eschewed his expected credit and was just there.

Maybe if I just looked at the top half of the frame while the credits ran …

Well, tonight was one of those "Survivor" episodes where it's obvious at the end that the editors held back crucial information. Amy was voted off, and it wasn't close, and all we saw going into the vote was her attempt at forming an elimination-proof alliance — not the other alliance that easily trumped hers.

I've become so used to this sort of misdirection on "Survivor" that I don't generally mind it. It's like knowing that a magician is distracting you from a tricky hand motion, but if you don't actually see the motion, you're happy to play along. But I'm still having a hard time getting very involved in this "Survivor," and I had gotten to like Amy, so the editorial deception tonight was more annoying than usual.

Besides, I've not been knocked out by what little TV I have managed to see this week. "Veronica Mars" had some good scenes, and it's nice to see Wallace get some story time, but it still did not feel like a great episode. The psychic plot felt like one destined to go awry, and once Wallace went missing, it was likely he would be with his father, and the Duncan-Logan friendship just feels peculiar. I keep the bar pretty high with "Veronica" and this one wasn't close.

"Gilmore Girls" was all right earlier in the week, if not extraordinary. I like the way the show refuses to just let Rory and Lorelai hug and be done with their conflict; real families don't patch up things so easily, so neither should they. And I still have a bunch of stuff DVR'ed that I haven't gotten to, so maybe there's a hidden gem.

Or maybe it's just tough to get through a week without a new "Lost." …

So I'm sitting through tonight's episode and wondering if we are really going to learn much about the bus crash, although I can forgive some digression.

As the show does so well, having established a big mystery, it still draws us until a little one. And even the little one has layers of character and scandal: Logan's dalliance with Kendall is not only found out but is interwoven with a scandal that takes down the Casablancas real-estate empire (and in the process ruins a sweet business instructor who is naive about the way the game is really played). Wallace's new girlfriend is, as I feared, big trouble — as Veronica knows better than Wallace — but Wallace's mother has a mystery of her own.

And then, wham. In the final moments, we finally get to the scene that was in the promos, and we know that the bus crash is a far more sordid act than we at first thought, that Veronica may have been the target — and that either we have not heard the last of Aaron Echolls or he has friends with power and ruthlessness on a par with his own.

All this, plus "Pride and Prejudice," (And fans can feel so much smarter if they start thinking of Veronica as a modern Jane Austen character instead of as a glibber, more troubled Nancy Drew.) What a show. Can't stand the idea of waiting an entire week between episodes, but neither can I imagine delaying my viewing until I have all the episodes together for one self-indulgent marathon.

Now about that real-time viewing: Tonight was a relative rarity, a night when I could actually sit at home and watch a program as it aired. I've spent far more time lately plowing through recorded fare, including a run today through "Commander in Chief," "Joey," "Will & Grace," "Everybody Hates Chris" and "The Office." So I nearly went nuts during "Veronica" because I couldn't skip through the ads. (Spare me from any commercial with Britney Spears.) We all know how excruciating commercial breaks can be, but they're even worse when they slow down a show you love — and one you know is going to take you somewhere cool.

Finally caught up with "VM" tonight. (Also this week's installment of "The Office," where the workplace boredom-beating made for one of the truest, and best, episodes of the American show so far.) I am confused, concerned and delighted. I bow to series creator Rob Thomas, and to Diane Ruggiero, "VM" co-executive producer and a writer who has made an enormous contribution to the show.

I get a little uneasy when I think about how much I have come to care about the "VM" characters, since they are all fictional, and I have plenty of people to care about in real life. But I found myself wanting to talk to Keith Mars about this whole running-for-sheriff thing. He's an idealist, after all, and he's running for the best of reasons — to do good for people who aren't getting much good from the current sheriff. But it feels as if no good can come of this. Has he forgotten that Veronica's messed-up, thieving mom is still out in the world somewhere, an opposition-research squad's dream?

But so often "Veronica" is about bad things happening to good people. (More dread: Wallace's budding relationship with a girl who looks like big trouble.) Nor is justice always done. And even when bad things are happening, they are often presented matter-of-factly, very "this is the way of the world." Characters may win in a specific situation, but the institutions of corruption have not been toppled. And, as was so painfully clear last night, the truth does not always set you free of pain and misery.

Because its world is so complicated, I love this show even when the characters are trapped in sadness.