In this month's GQ magazine, they list the best burgers, fries and shakes/malts around the country. Our local joint, The Counter in Santa Monica, was ranked No. 14 in all of the country for their burgers -- which are delicious, I might add -- and the their malts ranked an astonishing No. 2!!!
If you're in the neighborhood of Santa Monica/West LA, check it out. It's on Ocean Park Blvd., just west of Centinela on the north side of the street next to a Starbucks. Yummmm!
Thursday, June 30, 2005
Star sighting
Had a good one this morning. On my way to the post office, I spotted Jerry Seinfeld and his wife browsing through magazines on the newsstand on Beverly, between Wilshire and Olympic... if that means anything to you.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Drama's golden age
Folks:
Wrote this in today's Daily Variety and thought I'd share. I'd love to know your thoughts.
BY STUART LEVINE
No matter where you flip the dial these days, you're bound to land on a great drama.
There's been no shortage of compelling dramas throughout TV's seven-decade history -- be it about cops, docs, lawyers or crooks -- but one could make the case that there's no time like today. While the 1950s may be referred to as the Golden Age of drama, the gold standard is back in a big way.
"One thing you can look at is that one (program) sometimes inspires another," says HBO entertainment topper Carolyn Strauss. "It shows you what's possible."
Broadcast and cable are carrying the banner with equal aplomb.
Procedurals -- those self-contained stories that wrap everything up in a nice, tidy bow at the end of 60 minutes and make a mint for the studios in syndication -- have caught on like wildfire and are, generally, well executed. "CSI" has been the most-watched show on television for the past few years: Its producer, procedurals guru Jerry Bruckheimer, will have an astonishing nine such shows on the air next season, plus one comedy.
NBC, though in tough times now, still offers up solid "The West Wing" and has made a killing with the venerable "Law & Order" franchise since 1990. ABC got back in the game last season with "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and dramedy "Desperate Housewives" (though that skein is being submitted for Emmy consideration as a comedy). Fox's real-time "24" has managed to remain compelling over four seasons.
Then there's the wired world, where HBO set the stan-dard high with what some might consider a game changer in "The Sopranos." Since launching in 1999, it became the ultimate water-cooler show and speculation from creator David Chase that the mobster saga might go on to a seventh season -- one beyond what many believed would be its last -- made for front-page news a few weeks ago.
Also at HBO there's "Six Feet Under," current critical fave "Deadwood" and little-seen but highly regarded "The Wire."
On the basic cable side, FX broke the mold in 2002 with "The Shield," which earned Michael Chiklis a win for lead actor. The net also has done well with "Nip/Tuck" and "Rescue Me."
Strauss and FX's new prexy-G.M., John Landgraf, agree that there's no winning formula that works every time in gestating a hit show.
"As I say to a lot of people who pitch, it's having all the stars aligned," Strauss explains, "the way an idea is presented, how it's put together, how it's shot. One misstep is all it takes to derail. The cast is wrong or there's a missed tone in the pilot."
"It's the freedom encouraged by creators and writers to take risks, to make shows as good as they are," says Landgraf, who took over the net after Peter Liguori moved to Fox. "The standards are very high right now."
Strauss' comments about the importance of casting are well taken. While it's impossible to say whether "Sopranos" would've worked without James Gandolfini, or "Deadwood" without Ian McShane or "NYPD Blue" without Dennis Franz, those actors have become the faces of their series in a way that allows auds to connect in a passionate way.
"Casting is crucial," Strauss elaborates. "Look at 'The Sopranos.' There were no second choices."
While cable has the ability to stretch the parameters of drama to include nudity, language and violence -- though that might be up for discussion now as the Federal Communications Commission has signaled it might be willing to reconsider whether cable fare is under the same strict guidelines as its over-the-air counterpart -- broadcast has managed to enliven the genre, even with major constraints.
Broadcast nets don't have the luxury of launching only one or two dramas a year, and having its marketing departments put their efforts into just those series. Toppers such as CBS' Les Moonves and NBC's Jeff Zucker order dozens of pilots, only to whittle the number down to a few for the fall sked.
Landgraf, who was VP of primetime series at NBC from 1994-99, realizes the pressure network execs are under to satisfy critics and Madison Avenue. While they strive for quality, demos are a higher priority.
"Networks are factories that produce a product called television," he says. "When you're doing that many episodes to appeal to that big of an audience, you have to round corners and edges. And you can say that about furniture. When you look at a little network like ours, it's more like handcrafted programming."
Where the networks have taken the lead over their cable counterparts is with procedurals. CBS is the leader in this category, be it with the "CSI" franchise or Thursday night stalwart "Without a Trace."
Says Laverne McKinnon, the Eye's top drama exec, the key to quality dramas in these days of fragmented audiences is a willingness to listen to those outside TV's traditional training ground.
"The quality of storytelling has improved. From a drama perspective, I think we've been able to tap into a larger talent pool of writers: features, theater, book authors and essayists. There's no longer the stigma from five to 10 years ago about crossing over mediums."
Everyone knows that TV is a cyclical game -- just ask the folks over at ABC -- and the current comedy famine/drama feast could turn at a moment's notice. That being said, upcoming dramas from cable and broadcast indicate the change may not be coming all that soon.
HBO has high hopes for "Rome," which is costing the net a lot of coin (though it's a co-production with the BBC) and begins in September. On July 27, FX launches Steven Bochco's Iraq War series, "Over There."
Fox is generating buzz for "Prison Break," which stars Wentworth Miller as a desperate man who breaks into jail in order to help his death-row brother break out; ABC has Geena Davis starring in Rod Lurie's "Commander-in-Chief"; and NBC is hoping Bruckheimer's magic rubs off on "E-Ring," about life at the Pentagon.
And, as always in TV, the pressure's on. Sure, the networks might have a handful of drama superstars in their current lineups but if the genre's going to continue to thrive, it's all about finding the next big hit.
"These shows are representing us," says HBO's Strauss. "We have to get them right."
Wrote this in today's Daily Variety and thought I'd share. I'd love to know your thoughts.
BY STUART LEVINE
No matter where you flip the dial these days, you're bound to land on a great drama.
There's been no shortage of compelling dramas throughout TV's seven-decade history -- be it about cops, docs, lawyers or crooks -- but one could make the case that there's no time like today. While the 1950s may be referred to as the Golden Age of drama, the gold standard is back in a big way.
"One thing you can look at is that one (program) sometimes inspires another," says HBO entertainment topper Carolyn Strauss. "It shows you what's possible."
Broadcast and cable are carrying the banner with equal aplomb.
Procedurals -- those self-contained stories that wrap everything up in a nice, tidy bow at the end of 60 minutes and make a mint for the studios in syndication -- have caught on like wildfire and are, generally, well executed. "CSI" has been the most-watched show on television for the past few years: Its producer, procedurals guru Jerry Bruckheimer, will have an astonishing nine such shows on the air next season, plus one comedy.
NBC, though in tough times now, still offers up solid "The West Wing" and has made a killing with the venerable "Law & Order" franchise since 1990. ABC got back in the game last season with "Lost," "Grey's Anatomy" and dramedy "Desperate Housewives" (though that skein is being submitted for Emmy consideration as a comedy). Fox's real-time "24" has managed to remain compelling over four seasons.
Then there's the wired world, where HBO set the stan-dard high with what some might consider a game changer in "The Sopranos." Since launching in 1999, it became the ultimate water-cooler show and speculation from creator David Chase that the mobster saga might go on to a seventh season -- one beyond what many believed would be its last -- made for front-page news a few weeks ago.
Also at HBO there's "Six Feet Under," current critical fave "Deadwood" and little-seen but highly regarded "The Wire."
On the basic cable side, FX broke the mold in 2002 with "The Shield," which earned Michael Chiklis a win for lead actor. The net also has done well with "Nip/Tuck" and "Rescue Me."
Strauss and FX's new prexy-G.M., John Landgraf, agree that there's no winning formula that works every time in gestating a hit show.
"As I say to a lot of people who pitch, it's having all the stars aligned," Strauss explains, "the way an idea is presented, how it's put together, how it's shot. One misstep is all it takes to derail. The cast is wrong or there's a missed tone in the pilot."
"It's the freedom encouraged by creators and writers to take risks, to make shows as good as they are," says Landgraf, who took over the net after Peter Liguori moved to Fox. "The standards are very high right now."
Strauss' comments about the importance of casting are well taken. While it's impossible to say whether "Sopranos" would've worked without James Gandolfini, or "Deadwood" without Ian McShane or "NYPD Blue" without Dennis Franz, those actors have become the faces of their series in a way that allows auds to connect in a passionate way.
"Casting is crucial," Strauss elaborates. "Look at 'The Sopranos.' There were no second choices."
While cable has the ability to stretch the parameters of drama to include nudity, language and violence -- though that might be up for discussion now as the Federal Communications Commission has signaled it might be willing to reconsider whether cable fare is under the same strict guidelines as its over-the-air counterpart -- broadcast has managed to enliven the genre, even with major constraints.
Broadcast nets don't have the luxury of launching only one or two dramas a year, and having its marketing departments put their efforts into just those series. Toppers such as CBS' Les Moonves and NBC's Jeff Zucker order dozens of pilots, only to whittle the number down to a few for the fall sked.
Landgraf, who was VP of primetime series at NBC from 1994-99, realizes the pressure network execs are under to satisfy critics and Madison Avenue. While they strive for quality, demos are a higher priority.
"Networks are factories that produce a product called television," he says. "When you're doing that many episodes to appeal to that big of an audience, you have to round corners and edges. And you can say that about furniture. When you look at a little network like ours, it's more like handcrafted programming."
Where the networks have taken the lead over their cable counterparts is with procedurals. CBS is the leader in this category, be it with the "CSI" franchise or Thursday night stalwart "Without a Trace."
Says Laverne McKinnon, the Eye's top drama exec, the key to quality dramas in these days of fragmented audiences is a willingness to listen to those outside TV's traditional training ground.
"The quality of storytelling has improved. From a drama perspective, I think we've been able to tap into a larger talent pool of writers: features, theater, book authors and essayists. There's no longer the stigma from five to 10 years ago about crossing over mediums."
Everyone knows that TV is a cyclical game -- just ask the folks over at ABC -- and the current comedy famine/drama feast could turn at a moment's notice. That being said, upcoming dramas from cable and broadcast indicate the change may not be coming all that soon.
HBO has high hopes for "Rome," which is costing the net a lot of coin (though it's a co-production with the BBC) and begins in September. On July 27, FX launches Steven Bochco's Iraq War series, "Over There."
Fox is generating buzz for "Prison Break," which stars Wentworth Miller as a desperate man who breaks into jail in order to help his death-row brother break out; ABC has Geena Davis starring in Rod Lurie's "Commander-in-Chief"; and NBC is hoping Bruckheimer's magic rubs off on "E-Ring," about life at the Pentagon.
And, as always in TV, the pressure's on. Sure, the networks might have a handful of drama superstars in their current lineups but if the genre's going to continue to thrive, it's all about finding the next big hit.
"These shows are representing us," says HBO's Strauss. "We have to get them right."
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
The worst job
Here in Hollywood, that would be as an assistant to an executive or actor. Here's the latest story from the trenches:
I used to work for a C-list actor who wasn’t a screamer really, he was worse. He had bizarre brain synapses and he was obsessed with vegetables.
He was working on a now-cancelled FBI show. We were shooting in Santa Monica and he had a hankering for Koo Koo Roo:
Actor: I want the turkey dinner
Me: okay.
Actor: The turkey dinner. With the carrots and gravy
Me: (tuning him out. I know what’s in the turkey dinner.) Right.
Actor: And get whatever you want.
So, I went to the Kook in Venice. Ordered the turkey dinner, and a BBQ chicken salad without peppers for me. I returned to the trailer, and put his turkey dinner in the fridge. I was happily munching away on my salad, slightly peeved that they’d forgotten to take out the peppers, when Actor returned from set.
Actor: Where’s my turkey dinner?
Me: In the fridge.
Actor: Why is it in the fridge?
Me: Because you were still shooting.
Actor: (accusatory) It’s really hot outside.
Me: (??) I know. That’s why I put it in the fridge.
He fetches his damn turkey dinner, and I return to my salad and my To Do list. Munch munch munch…suddenly, I hear:
Actor: Green beans.
Me: What?
Actor: Green beans.
Me: (??)
Actor: (getting agitated) Green beans, green beans green beans.Me: (??)
Actor: I asked for GREEN BEANS with my turkey dinner.
Me: (He did? Oh shit.)
I looked him straight in the eye. Then down at my salad. Then back at him. I waved my fork towards my lunch:
Me: And I asked for no peppers in my salad. (Too bad, buddy. Life’s not fair. Sometimes you don’t get what you asked for.)
Actor: (glaring silence.)
He fired me the next day. Now whenever I hear “green beans” I cringe and then chuckle.
I used to work for a C-list actor who wasn’t a screamer really, he was worse. He had bizarre brain synapses and he was obsessed with vegetables.
He was working on a now-cancelled FBI show. We were shooting in Santa Monica and he had a hankering for Koo Koo Roo:
Actor: I want the turkey dinner
Me: okay.
Actor: The turkey dinner. With the carrots and gravy
Me: (tuning him out. I know what’s in the turkey dinner.) Right.
Actor: And get whatever you want.
So, I went to the Kook in Venice. Ordered the turkey dinner, and a BBQ chicken salad without peppers for me. I returned to the trailer, and put his turkey dinner in the fridge. I was happily munching away on my salad, slightly peeved that they’d forgotten to take out the peppers, when Actor returned from set.
Actor: Where’s my turkey dinner?
Me: In the fridge.
Actor: Why is it in the fridge?
Me: Because you were still shooting.
Actor: (accusatory) It’s really hot outside.
Me: (??) I know. That’s why I put it in the fridge.
He fetches his damn turkey dinner, and I return to my salad and my To Do list. Munch munch munch…suddenly, I hear:
Actor: Green beans.
Me: What?
Actor: Green beans.
Me: (??)
Actor: (getting agitated) Green beans, green beans green beans.Me: (??)
Actor: I asked for GREEN BEANS with my turkey dinner.
Me: (He did? Oh shit.)
I looked him straight in the eye. Then down at my salad. Then back at him. I waved my fork towards my lunch:
Me: And I asked for no peppers in my salad. (Too bad, buddy. Life’s not fair. Sometimes you don’t get what you asked for.)
Actor: (glaring silence.)
He fired me the next day. Now whenever I hear “green beans” I cringe and then chuckle.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Name of the day
In Variety, we run a column of notable births in the industry. Think this child will be the next SuperGirl??
Emily and Penn Jillette, a girl, Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette, June 3, Los Vegas. Mother is non-pro; father is comic/magician and half of the performing duo Penn & Teller.
Emily and Penn Jillette, a girl, Moxie CrimeFighter Jillette, June 3, Los Vegas. Mother is non-pro; father is comic/magician and half of the performing duo Penn & Teller.
Friday, June 03, 2005
TV's best
San Francisco Chronicle TV critic offers up some thoughts on the best TV shows on the air now. This is his top 10 list of best shows on the air, in order of greatness.
-- "Deadwood"
-- "The Wire"
-- "The Sopranos" (returns next spring)
-- "Arrested Development"
-- "The Shield"
-- "Rescue Me"
-- "Lost"
-- "Desperate Housewives"
-- "24"
-- "MI-5"
If you've been reading this blog at all since its launch several months ago, you know my feelings on Deadwood. But here's what Goodman says too... so you know it's just not me:
Call it Monday mourning. "Deadwood" ended last night and the only thing one can blurt out at a moment like this is all too obvious to anyone who has seen the show:
"You -- suckers! Why only 12 episodes?"
Television's most profane -- and easily one of its most magnificent -- offerings is over, and what a satisfying, orgiastic little run it was. Twelve episodes, three months and thousands upon thousands of f-bombs, or so it seemed. Only "Deadwood" could drag you through the mud of evil men, bad women and offensive language and make you feel glad about paying for the pleasure.
And just now, right in this instant of having the magnitude of this Shakespearean effort wash over us, who's to deny that "Deadwood" is the best show on television, bar none? (If you're keeping track, by the way, that puts three dramas and one comedy from HBO in the top 10 - at least.) Who's prepared to walk away from the table without voting David Milch's astonishing Western the best thing ever? The acting is, across the board, fall-down-on-the-ground great. From Ian McShane's Emmy-deserving turn as Al Swearengen to W. Earl Brown's layered bear of man that is Dan Dority to Paula Malcomson's angry, tart, devoted and dangerous hooker, Trixie. Not just those three -- all of them. Cameo performances on this show have the sheen of magnificence and that's damned hard to do.
Is "Deadwood" the best show on television?
Who knows. You can get weary parsing out that stuff. "Deadwood" -- despite that nagging, beautifully corrupt sense of Shakespeare -- is utterly original, like nothing else on TV. This is a television series playing in its own stratosphere, defined by genius all around it. Number it as you will, just bring it back as soon as possible.
-- "Deadwood"
-- "The Wire"
-- "The Sopranos" (returns next spring)
-- "Arrested Development"
-- "The Shield"
-- "Rescue Me"
-- "Lost"
-- "Desperate Housewives"
-- "24"
-- "MI-5"
If you've been reading this blog at all since its launch several months ago, you know my feelings on Deadwood. But here's what Goodman says too... so you know it's just not me:
Call it Monday mourning. "Deadwood" ended last night and the only thing one can blurt out at a moment like this is all too obvious to anyone who has seen the show:
"You -- suckers! Why only 12 episodes?"
Television's most profane -- and easily one of its most magnificent -- offerings is over, and what a satisfying, orgiastic little run it was. Twelve episodes, three months and thousands upon thousands of f-bombs, or so it seemed. Only "Deadwood" could drag you through the mud of evil men, bad women and offensive language and make you feel glad about paying for the pleasure.
And just now, right in this instant of having the magnitude of this Shakespearean effort wash over us, who's to deny that "Deadwood" is the best show on television, bar none? (If you're keeping track, by the way, that puts three dramas and one comedy from HBO in the top 10 - at least.) Who's prepared to walk away from the table without voting David Milch's astonishing Western the best thing ever? The acting is, across the board, fall-down-on-the-ground great. From Ian McShane's Emmy-deserving turn as Al Swearengen to W. Earl Brown's layered bear of man that is Dan Dority to Paula Malcomson's angry, tart, devoted and dangerous hooker, Trixie. Not just those three -- all of them. Cameo performances on this show have the sheen of magnificence and that's damned hard to do.
Is "Deadwood" the best show on television?
Who knows. You can get weary parsing out that stuff. "Deadwood" -- despite that nagging, beautifully corrupt sense of Shakespeare -- is utterly original, like nothing else on TV. This is a television series playing in its own stratosphere, defined by genius all around it. Number it as you will, just bring it back as soon as possible.
Thursday, June 02, 2005
Emmy season
No, really, it is.
We're cranking up our Emmy stories now that the voting period has begun. I'll post a few of my efforts here over the next week or two if you'd like to check them out.
By STUART LEVINE,
Tue., May 31, 2005, 10:00pm PT
With the Bartlet administration on the way out, there were some industry observers who believed at the beginning of last season that "The West Wing" was nearing its end as well.
The handoff from show creator Aaron Sorkin to John Wells in 2003 made many hardcore viewers nervous. That's no knock on Wells, who has been a writer and exec producer on such series as "ER" and "China Beach," but Sorkin's shoes would be tough to fill.
"We thought we were done after Aaron left," says two-time Emmy nom Janel Moloney, who plays Donna Moss. "It takes time for a show to deal with a big change like that. We knew the shows would have a different tone."
Also making the transition difficult was that ratings were dipping and "Wing" is an expensive show to produce. With NBC paying Warner Bros. approximately $6 million per episode (before recent negotiations knocked that number down to about $3 million), the series seemed ripe for cancellation.
Then came the election: no, not Bush-Kerry, but the race between Rep. Matthew Santos (D-Texas) and Sen. Arnold Vinick (R-Calif.). The storyline, which took the action out of the White House and into the frozen fields of Iowa and New Hampshire, revitalized the show.
The Democratic and Republican primaries, at which Santos and Vinick (Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda, respectively) won their parties' nominations, were embraced by longtime viewers. While ratings were still down, the numbers were bright spots for the Peacock, whose viewership tumbled this season.
"For two years the show was in steep decline but this year they told stories you could care about," says TV Guide critic Matt Roush. "The campaign episodes took you back to the better times. It's back on track, though still not what it used to be."
Says Wells: "People seemed to be really engaged. ... In dealing with the primaries, it was one of the areas during the first five years of the show that we hadn't explored. One of the things you're constantly doing is look for places in the story you haven't done sometime before."
Equally intrigued by the storyline was Smits, who met with Wells about playing Santos. "John's idea was to give insight about what goes into particular points of the campaign," the thesp says. "We talked about the power of the media and show how great it would be to have young people aspire to be in politics."
Wells was quick to realize that it was important in casting Vinick, a likable Republican centrist. "I sat down with Alan before the season and talked about a political campaign," recalls Wells. "It was clear that, for the Republican candidate, we would need people that had the same stature as Martin (Sheen)."
It wasn't just "West Wing" that critics say enjoyed a comeback season. Other rebounding skeins include "Gilmore Girls" and "24."
"Gilmore Girls," which just wrapped season No. 5, was rejuvenated when it's two leads -- Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) -- parted ways. Lorelai, busy with a new relationship, and Rory, off to college, had new challenges to confront.
And the ratings went up. "Gilmore" improved in most key demos for the young-skewing WB, and the series saw a hefty 30% jump in women 18-49.
" 'Gilmore Girls' came back," opines Roush. "If there was ever a show to break into the comedy category, it would be this. They figured out how to tell stories with Rory at college. This show's in good shape."
Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino says she knows why the show took off this year.
"Apparently America has just been waiting to see Rory whore it up," she jokes. "I guess that the storylines that we chose this year really clicked with people. It was more of a romantic comedy year than we've done before, and people really seem to enjoy that, especially the Luke/Lorelai situation."
Over on "24," Kiefer Sutherland is trying to save the world from annihilation ... again. After the much-buzzed-about first season, some viewers thought "24" was losing its steam. Those same people believe this season (No. 4) the skein recovered its mojo.
"People felt we had a resurgence since the second half of last season and I have to tell you we're very surprised," says exec producer Joel Surnow. "Fans who regularly watch us tell us this is our best season. ... We look for different ways to tell suspense stories. What we do now is what we've always done: keep fans on the edge of their seats."
We're cranking up our Emmy stories now that the voting period has begun. I'll post a few of my efforts here over the next week or two if you'd like to check them out.
By STUART LEVINE,
Tue., May 31, 2005, 10:00pm PT
With the Bartlet administration on the way out, there were some industry observers who believed at the beginning of last season that "The West Wing" was nearing its end as well.
The handoff from show creator Aaron Sorkin to John Wells in 2003 made many hardcore viewers nervous. That's no knock on Wells, who has been a writer and exec producer on such series as "ER" and "China Beach," but Sorkin's shoes would be tough to fill.
"We thought we were done after Aaron left," says two-time Emmy nom Janel Moloney, who plays Donna Moss. "It takes time for a show to deal with a big change like that. We knew the shows would have a different tone."
Also making the transition difficult was that ratings were dipping and "Wing" is an expensive show to produce. With NBC paying Warner Bros. approximately $6 million per episode (before recent negotiations knocked that number down to about $3 million), the series seemed ripe for cancellation.
Then came the election: no, not Bush-Kerry, but the race between Rep. Matthew Santos (D-Texas) and Sen. Arnold Vinick (R-Calif.). The storyline, which took the action out of the White House and into the frozen fields of Iowa and New Hampshire, revitalized the show.
The Democratic and Republican primaries, at which Santos and Vinick (Jimmy Smits and Alan Alda, respectively) won their parties' nominations, were embraced by longtime viewers. While ratings were still down, the numbers were bright spots for the Peacock, whose viewership tumbled this season.
"For two years the show was in steep decline but this year they told stories you could care about," says TV Guide critic Matt Roush. "The campaign episodes took you back to the better times. It's back on track, though still not what it used to be."
Says Wells: "People seemed to be really engaged. ... In dealing with the primaries, it was one of the areas during the first five years of the show that we hadn't explored. One of the things you're constantly doing is look for places in the story you haven't done sometime before."
Equally intrigued by the storyline was Smits, who met with Wells about playing Santos. "John's idea was to give insight about what goes into particular points of the campaign," the thesp says. "We talked about the power of the media and show how great it would be to have young people aspire to be in politics."
Wells was quick to realize that it was important in casting Vinick, a likable Republican centrist. "I sat down with Alan before the season and talked about a political campaign," recalls Wells. "It was clear that, for the Republican candidate, we would need people that had the same stature as Martin (Sheen)."
It wasn't just "West Wing" that critics say enjoyed a comeback season. Other rebounding skeins include "Gilmore Girls" and "24."
"Gilmore Girls," which just wrapped season No. 5, was rejuvenated when it's two leads -- Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory (Alexis Bledel) -- parted ways. Lorelai, busy with a new relationship, and Rory, off to college, had new challenges to confront.
And the ratings went up. "Gilmore" improved in most key demos for the young-skewing WB, and the series saw a hefty 30% jump in women 18-49.
" 'Gilmore Girls' came back," opines Roush. "If there was ever a show to break into the comedy category, it would be this. They figured out how to tell stories with Rory at college. This show's in good shape."
Series creator Amy Sherman-Palladino says she knows why the show took off this year.
"Apparently America has just been waiting to see Rory whore it up," she jokes. "I guess that the storylines that we chose this year really clicked with people. It was more of a romantic comedy year than we've done before, and people really seem to enjoy that, especially the Luke/Lorelai situation."
Over on "24," Kiefer Sutherland is trying to save the world from annihilation ... again. After the much-buzzed-about first season, some viewers thought "24" was losing its steam. Those same people believe this season (No. 4) the skein recovered its mojo.
"People felt we had a resurgence since the second half of last season and I have to tell you we're very surprised," says exec producer Joel Surnow. "Fans who regularly watch us tell us this is our best season. ... We look for different ways to tell suspense stories. What we do now is what we've always done: keep fans on the edge of their seats."
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