If you been watching HBO's "The Wire" this season and like me, have been hooked on what the criterati have (with good reason) dubbed the best drama maybe, well, ever, you're also bracing yourself to say farewell to this stellar series. This is supposed to be the fifth and final season. The show's creator David Simon wanted to do 13 episodes, but HBO was stingy and only gave him ten this go-around. Too bad. While "The Wire" is still terrific, the story arc is more rushed this year, more like most TV.  read more »

If you been watching HBO's "The Wire" this season and like me, have been hooked on what the criterati have (with good reason) dubbed the best drama maybe, well, ever, you're also bracing yourself to say farewell to this stellar series. This is supposed to be the fifth and final season. The show's creator David Simon wanted to do 13 episodes, but HBO was stingy and only gave him ten this go-around. Too bad. While "The Wire" is still terrific, the story arc is more rushed this year, more like most TV.

Just when the networks were busy claiming that the contribution of striking writers was barely missed, Fox's spanking new drama “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” did better among the key 18-49 demo so dear to advertisers than any new series in three years. Meanwhile, NBC's embarrassing Golden Globes special {see story below}, was a ratings dud. No doubt, viewers who haven't had much new to choose from were ready for a series as well executed as this TV take on "The Terminator" franchise. Only eight episodes of the series were completed before the writers strike stopped production, but this gives Fox a potential new hit going into the February sweeps to add to its arsenal of "American Idol" and the return of "Prison Break." Little wonder, Fox executives have been in no hurry to return to the negotiating table with striking writers. But that's short term think.  read more »

Just when the networks were busy claiming that the contribution of striking writers was barely missed, Fox's spanking new drama “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” did better among the key 18-49 demo so dear to advertisers than any new series in three years. Meanwhile, NBC's embarrassing Golden Globes special {see story below}, was a ratings dud. No doubt, viewers who haven't had much new to choose from were ready for a series as well executed as this TV take on "The Terminator" franchise. Only eight episodes of the series were completed before the writers strike stopped production, but this gives Fox a potential new hit going into the February sweeps to add to its arsenal of "American Idol" and the return of "Prison Break." Little wonder, Fox executives have been in no hurry to return to the negotiating table with striking writers. But that's short term think.

Everybody in the industry knows that as far as any legitimacy as a competition, the Golden Globes has next to none. Voted on by fewer than a hundred members of that less than august body known as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association {HFPA} that has the rep as more receptive than a Texas Congressman to lobbyists proffering free meals, cash starlets and other swag, hardly instills confidence in the creative community. Still, the Globes as an award show does get props as a broadcast where the celebrities looked great, got a load on and made all of us tuning in feel like we were part of it all. Thus, in year's past taking one of those little babies home, gave a show or film some marketing luster.  read more »

Everybody in the industry knows that as far as any legitimacy as a competition, the Golden Globes has next to none. Voted on by fewer than a hundred members of that less than august body known as the Hollywood Foreign Press Association {HFPA} that has the rep as more receptive than a Texas Congressman to lobbyists proffering free meals, cash starlets and other swag, hardly instills confidence in the creative community. Still, the Globes as an award show does get props as a broadcast where the celebrities looked great, got a load on and made all of us tuning in feel like we were part of it all. Thus, in year's past taking one of those little babies home, gave a show or film some marketing luster.

Every pundit and pollster had been telling us since Barack Obama's stunning win in Iowa that Hillary Clinton was all but washed up. Then last night, Hillary bested Obama in New Hampshire and the journos and the pollsters they so dearly love were asking each other: "What the hell happened?"

Analysts posited a number of theories, but ultimately concluded that without thorough investigation nobody could say why the polls got it right about John McCain's victory on the Republican side and so wrong with their predictions that Obama would beat Clinton by as much as 10 percent.  read more »

Every pundit and pollster had been telling us since Barack Obama's stunning win in Iowa that Hillary Clinton was all but washed up. Then last night, Hillary bested Obama in New Hampshire and the journos and the pollsters they so dearly love were asking each other: "What the hell happened?"

Analysts posited a number of theories, but ultimately concluded that without thorough investigation nobody could say why the polls got it right about John McCain's victory on the Republican side and so wrong with their predictions that Obama would beat Clinton by as much as 10 percent.

I don't know if Santa brought you a nice Sony 40-inch LCD high-def TV for Christmas, but if old Saint Nick did, but I bet Barack Obama's advisers wish there was one under your tree to hook up. Estimates put about a third of American homes with at least one HD set. My guess is among probable voters in this year's primary, the percentage may be even higher.  read more »

I don't know if Santa brought you a nice Sony 40-inch LCD high-def TV for Christmas, but if old Saint Nick did, but I bet Barack Obama's advisers wish there was one under your tree to hook up. Estimates put about a third of American homes with at least one HD set. My guess is among probable voters in this year's primary, the percentage may be even higher.