Fancast: Inside TV

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Our latest installment of the Top 100 TV Catchphrases of all time coincides with the announcement by the Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences (those guys who run the Emmy Awards) of an on-line contest that gives viewer's a voice in the selection of the most memorable moments in TV history. And there's no moment more memorable than one that's summed up with a catchphrase guaranteed to kick start the water cooler small talk.

The Academy has narrowed the vast field to 20 moments from Comedy and 20 moments from Drama. We've taken the liberty of winnowing it even further, giving you a chance to decide on your vote with the kind of depth you can only find right here on Fancast.

90. "Nanu, Nanu!": Mork, Mork & Mindy. One of the more unusual episodes of Happy Days was "My Favorite Orkan", which introduced Robin Williams as the lovable nutjob, Mork, from another planet. The audience loved it so much, ABC decided to give the character his own spin-off. Mork & Mindy opened with Mork being sent from his home planet of Ork to Boulder, Colorado, for the purpose of studying Earthlings and their strange concept of "emotions." Fans flocked to the show, fascinated by the unpredictable comedic stylings of Williams, making Mork & Mindy a tremendous early hit. "Nanu, Nanu" (a way of saying hello OR goodbye) became a national catch phrase during the first season. To parlay the surprise success into a long-running smash, the show's creators retooled season 2, causing the series to fade in popularity. Shazbot!

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

You know the summer has slowed to a stultifying crawl when TV critics start blogging about what music they're listening to rather than what TV they're watching, as is the case with the San Francisco Chronicle's ace boob-tuber Tim Goodman. Over on his always entertaining and often provocative blog, The Bastard Machine, Goodman makes a subtle or subconscious play at taking over Samantha Ronson's professional gig by posting the tunes he has in heavy rotation: Lucinda Williams, "West." Elvis Costello, "Momofuku." Denzil, "Pub." Belle & Sebastian iPod playlist (on shuffle). Anything by Wilco. Smiths, "Louder Than Bombs." All things Rilo Kiley/Jenny Lewis. Lots of Feist. Finn Brothers, "Everyone Is Here."

The TV critic gets props for both good taste and being in tune with his times. His list also inspired some thinking about the best TV shows about music - non-reality, non-doc (meaning no Behind the Music, no Supergroup, no Rock of Love, no Osbournes) - a fun and challenging effort that produced this ultimate playlist of the top 10 shows related to music that rocked TV:

10. Hannah Montana: Miley Cyrus plays Miley Stewart, a typical teen struggling to find herself and desperate to fit in with the other kids at school. But, unbeknownst to her classmates, she's leading a double life. Make-up, lighting, and a blonde wig transform Miley into popular singer Hannah Montana, whose confidence and charisma light up the stage. While Disney adheres to the company line by outwardly portraying Hannah in an innocent light, the show's undertones spotlight the highly charged atmosphere of today's confusing social mores. And Miley manages to kick some real ass with her infectious sound and irresistible charm.

9. The Chris Isaak Show: The "Curb Your Enthusiasm" of the Rock world, this Showtime series seamlessly merged fact with fiction. Isaak, a throwback to the Stoned Age, always seemed mildly baffled by the strangeness of his show biz niche, but there was an understated sophistication underlying his goofy, deadpan demeanor. Retro and contemporary at the same time, he manages to make uncool very hip.

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

According to a report on People.com former Full House child star (and recovering Meth addict) Jodie Sweetin, alongside set designer hubby Cody Herpin, are in talks to begin shooting a new Reality TV show in the next few months. The as yet unnamed series will follow the old recipe as the two share their lives as new parents (Jodie gave birth to a baby girl, Zoie, earlier this year.) "It was one of those things where we were like, 'Wow. Let's totally do it' said Jodie. "I think it's sort of a fun way to show the other side of celebrity and a sort of semi-normal life."

But fans of the genre know all too well the fate which has befallen so many other famous couples who've bared their souls to the world under the merciless glare of the TV spotlight. The current wave includes 2 Live Crew potty mouth Luther "Luke" Campbell of "Me So Horny" fame and his rush to the altar with lawyer fiance Kristin Thompson. The show is called "Parental Authority" and we'll be watching this express train in case it goes off the rails.

Despite the track record, Sweetin tells People that she and Herpin are "hoping to break the reality show curse." Only time will tell. In the meantime, let's take a look at how some other well-known Love Birds have fared in their quest to break the Curse of the Reality TV Show Couple.

10. Nick Lachey and Jessica Simpson:

THEN: Fans of Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica couldn't get enough of the cooing couple and the joys they shared together at the top of the pop pile. But by the third season, it seemed like Nick wanted to stuff a sock in his wife's mouth to keep her from blurting out ignorant statements (Is this chicken or is this fish?) And Jessica had grown tired of Nick's loutish, uncouth manners.

NOW: The couple divorced soon after and both have since been burning up the sheets with a string of new lovers. Jessica has felt so liberated in fact that she's finally opening up about the years of abuse she's suffered looking for her soul mate.

RESULT: Cursed

9. Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown:

THEN: It's undeniably fascinating to peep in on past-their-prime pop stars living out their fabulously wealthy, yet incredibly tedious lives. But Being Bobby Brown revealed something shocking: hanging with screw-up Bobby was actually preferable to enduring an always crabby Whitney. Who'd a thunk it?

NOW: When the show ended, rumors flew of an impending breakup due to Bobby's philandering and Whitney's drug use. Although denying the obvious for several years, the end finally came with an acrimonious divorce and custody battle. But the two are back to being on civil terms and working again on new projects.

RESULT Cursed

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

When the tough talking heartthrob Arthur Fonzarelli (The Fonz) took on a Great White Shark by jumping over it on water skis, the stunt signaled the demise of Happy Days. Fonzie appeared only sporadically in the first season, but the character eventually overran the show due to his popularity with viewers. Since then, anytime a TV series hits its peak, the resultant downhill slide is known as "Jumping the Shark."

However, a recent visit to JumpTheShark.com reveals that peaking out is not necessarily the fate of every TV program. Here's a list of the 10 top current shows that have yet to Jump the Shark. And our totally meaningless predictions as to whether or not they can hold on to that coveted status until they end their run. And you can watch 'em all on Fancast.

10. 30 Rock: Told through the comedic voice of Tina Fey and featuring Alec Baldwin along with Tracy Morgan, 30 Rock took top honors at the 2007 Emmy Awards and lead the way at this year's nominations. After only two years on the air, it's too soon to tell if all that success will catch up to them. Odds: 10 to 1

9. 24: Hasn't the world ended yet? Due to the Writer's Guild strike earlier this year, it nearly did for Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland.) The interrupted season will continue next year, but a 2 hour prequel is on tap for the Fall. Odds: 8 to 1

8. House: Have you ever met that brilliant guy who's so snide and demeaning that you have to love him anyway? Neither have I. But apparently, the staff at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital are from another world. Grumbling in the blogosphere indicates that Hugh Laurie has worn out his welcome already. But the 2-part finale that aired last month revalidated his status as the grumpy Marcus Welby and breathed new life into the show. Odds: 8 to 2

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Shia LaBeouf, who rolled his pickup last Sunday and was booked on suspicion of a DUI, is the latest Tinseltown Celebrity to suffer the unfortunate fate of getting behind the wheel after one too many for the road. Can't these fabulously wealthy imbibers afford to call a cab? We haven't seen his latest mug shot yet, but you can bet he won't look as upbeat as his 2007 shoot with Chicago police after he was arrested for refusing to leave a Walgreen's.

But hey, rather than go all negative by showing our favorite rehabbed reprobates at their worst, let's take a stroll down Memory Lane and revisit some of the Photo Galleries that helped build the reputations of these other A-Listers, before there were numbers under their chins:

10. Lindsay Lohan: July 24, 2007. Less than two weeks out of rehab, with another drunken-driving case pending, Lohan was booked for investigation of drunken driving and cocaine possession after a frightened woman dialed 911 to report being chased by Lohan's SUV.

9. Mel Gibson: August 02, 2006. Gibson was charged with misdemeanor drunken driving just five days after he was stopped on Malibu's Pacific Coast Highway for speeding. During the speeding stop, he allegedly made anti-Semitic comments that have stained his once lily-white public image.

8. Tracy Morgan: Nov 29, 2006. The former Saturday Night Live star was charged with driving while intoxicated in New York City after failing to "maintain a position in a lane of traffic" and driving erratically. At the time, the 30 Rock star was on probation in Los Angeles for the same offense.

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Has anyone ever said to you, "What you talking about Willis?" How about, "You're Fired?" If so, then you've been the victim of a TV phenomenon that has existed since the first cathode ray tube transmitted electron beams through the ether: The Catch Phrase.

Actually the practice is a holdover from movies ("Here's looking at you, kid") and radio ("The Shadow knows!") But TV has given us a spin on the catch phrase that is unique because, for some shows, it was virtually the only thing we remembered and talked about the next day. So we take a look at some of the most memorable examples of the TV Catch Phrase. And you can hear 'em all on Fancast.

10. "I love it when a plan comes together.": Hannibal, The A-Team. Uttered near the end of each episode, despite the doubts of everyone involved. Except for Hannibal. He knew it all along.

9. "You've got spunk ...I hate spunk!": Lou Grant, The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Mary Richards really needs the job, so she speaks up for herself at the interview with the new boss. He's not impressed.

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Rachael Ray looked genuinely stunned at the Daytime Emmy Awards. Her syndicated talk show managed to overcome some stiff competition by beating out "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and "The View." Every contest has a long shot, so it makes for a much more entertaining evening when the underdog takes the top prize. Here's a list of some other Emmy winners who've managed to hit the jackpot, despite the odds.

2008: Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series: Jeanne Cooper on The Young and the Restless
The venerated actress (and mother of Corbin Bernsen) scored a long-overdue victory – this was her ninth daytime nomination.

2007: Outstanding Comedy Series: 30 Rock
Although a Critic's favorite from the start, the show's producers nonetheless held out little hope for a win. Tina Fey accepted the prize and commented "I myself am going to celebrate by overeating." Works every time.

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

As far as a decade goes, the 1990's had more than its share of highs and lows. They started with the bang of East and West German reunification, and ended with the whimper of Y2K. Television was no different, providing us with plenty of cultural earthquakes whose aftershocks can still be felt. Here's a list of shows debuting in the 1990's that changed the landscape forever:

1990: Beverly Hills 90210
This series started out chronicling the lives of the lucky few A-Listers at the most exclusive public high school in the world. When the series took off we followed along to college and beyond. Along the way the kids managed to save the world from, or at least tear up over, wide-ranging social issues from apartheid to AIDS.

1991: Jerry Springer
Real-life turmoil has always been the catalyst for the Jerry Springer show, which is still going strong. Springer confronts his guests about infidelity, relationships, or personal secrets, and they often come to blows. The twist here is that the audience gladly jumps in to lend a hand.

1992: Melrose Place
This show started out as the heartfelt approach to the lives of the inhabitants of a fashionable apartment block with a killer pool. But it really hit its stride when it changed direction, and went for villainy and excess, prime time soap style. Heather Locklear was the key to its longevity, playing scheming ad exec Amanda Woodward, the very essence of 90's avarice and excess.

1993: Late Night With Conan O'Brien
Conan replaced David Letterman after the Talk Show Wars caused Dave's leap from NBC to CBS. O'Brien immediately established himself as the slightly warped comedic late night talk show host with lively guests, musical acts and humorous scripts. The act has worked so well, Conan is next in line to replace Jay Leno as host of "The Tonight Show."

By Jen Smith
Fancast.com

If every summer is full of guilty pleasures, is there still a need to feel guilty? Shouldn't there be innocent pleasures? While better minds ponder that, here's a list of 10 summer TV shows so full of guilty pleasures they're downright criminal.

10. America’s Got Talent
What’s amazing about this show is that a panel of judges with absolutely no talent is judging hundreds of contestants on the quality of their talent. Weird. Singing twins, plus-size burlesque dancers, ventriloquists, and I’m pretty sure an alien from the planet Belzagor are among past contestants.

9. Big Brother 10
Bueno! Big Brother might be nearing the Jump the Shark moment, but it’s still going strong. The colorful characters are hard to deny, as well. Who can forget Evil Dick? No one, that’s who. Orgy in the hot tub, anyone?

8. Last Comic Standinghttp://www.fancast.com/tv/Hells-Kitchen-%28Fox%29/94327/main
Everyone likes to laugh. More than that, everyone loves to watch reality show contestants crash and burn. There’s nothing more uncomfortable than watching a stand-up comedian’s set receive absolutely no laughter… and we adore that almost as much as the good ones.

7. So You Think You Can Dance
The difference between this show and the other Simon Fuller creation, American Idol, is that most of America has no idea what good dancing looks like. Nevertheless, it’s hard to stay away from the temptations of wardrobe malfunctions, Nigel Lythgoe’s pretentiousness, and Mary Murphy’s ability to communicate one-on-one with canines.

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

[more Mayim photos]

I was practically drooling the other day when I read that Justine Bateman is returning to TV. I spent many an hour daydreaming back in the '80s about what it would be like to make some "Family Ties" of my own with sweet Mallory Keaton…if only I could just get past Alex... Reading on it turns out she's coming back as a WRITER…ugh! Aren't there enough of those? But it did get me thinking about other yummy stars of yesteryear who have been missing from my screen for awhile. You know: Jon Cryer, Fred Savage, Joey Lawrence, Jaleel White…yeah right…if you're like me you'd much rather catch a few of these ladies popping out of the old boob tube again:

10. Stockard Channing: If she was good enough to be First Lady on "The West Wing," she's good enough to be First Lady on my list. But there's no escaping the fact that an entire series should be scripted chronicling the later years of Grease's Betty "Ratzo" Rizzo.

9. Mare Winningham: She got her big break singing on "The Gong Show" which led to a supporting role as an '80s Brat Packer. More recently she's made acclaimed appearances on "ER" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," but she should seriously consider reestablishing her stardom as the woman who finally tames Charlie Sheen on "Two and a Half Men."

8. Mayim Bialik: She started out as a knockout child actress in the perennial tear-jerker "Beaches" but she's much better known as the title character on "Blossom." Since then she's earned a PHD from UCLA and disappeared off the acting radar. Now is the perfect time for her to revive her career as the nerdy, but brilliant administrator on "Grey's Anatomy."

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

Every television season, literally dozens of new shows are launched into the space between our ears. Whether they crash and burn or soar into the heavens depends on the buzz they generate. On rare occasions, a new series orbits the world a few times before achieving escape velocity. (Saturday Night Live, Seinfeld…) But usually, if there's no gossip around the water cooler the next day, it's back to the drawing board. Here's a list of shows that beat the odds and made it to the stars and beyond. Now you can say you knew it all along...

10. 24
12:00 Midnight - 1:00 A.M: The innovative series concept consists of 24 hour-long episodes chronicling a bad day in the life of Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland), head of the CIA's Los Angeles Counter Terrorism Unit. The show uses split screens and a "real-time" clock to tell the tale as he struggles to prevent the assassination of a presidential candidate, find the traitor within his own organization, and save his kidnapped wife and daughter.

9. Buffy, the Vampire Slayer
Welcome to the Hellmouth: In an unusual twist for TV, this pilot picks up where the popular movie left off. Buffy Summers (Sarah Michelle Gellar) moves to Sunnydale after burning down her old High School in L.A., in the hopes of leaving her past behind. It doesn't work out that way as it slowly dawns on her (with the help of The Watcher) that she is in fact an incarnation of the rarest breed: Vampire Slayer. Follow along as she battles a never ending parade of bloodsucker baddies in her quest to destroy "The Master."

8. Melrose Place
Pilot: In time honored TV tradition, this show actually began as a summer spin-off to Beverly Hills, 90210. But it quickly picked up its own momentum and never looked back. BH's Kelly (Jennie Garth) stops by 4616 Melrose Place to visit Jake (Grant Show). She meets Jake's neighbors Alison (Courtney Thorne-Smith), and Rhonda (Vanessa Williams), among others and quickly becomes embroiled in their 20-Something lifestyles. When Alison's roommate runs out on her, she takes in Billy (Andrew Shue) to cover the rent. Big mistake.

7. Miami Vice
Brother's Keeper: In a series which is still inspiring gaudy fashion and good cop/bad cop buddy shows, flashy Miami police detective James "Sonny" Crockett (Don Johnson) reluctantly teams up with hot shot New Yorker Ricardo "Rico" Tubbs (Philip Michael Thomas) to solve several mysterious murders connected to a Colombian drug trafficking cartel.

By Giselle Melanson
Fancast.com

These days, you’d be hard-pressed to find a TV show theme song that has lyrics, let alone inspirational ones. But long before the new millennium, shows were expected to inspire us and give us hope, not only through their unrealistic portrayal of family life, but also through their theme songs.

10. Welcome Back Kotter. This theme is particularly meaningful to anyone who’s ever returned to their hometown--possibly broke and with their tail between their legs. Even though “Your dreams were your ticket out,” you’re still being welcomed back by at least one person.

9. Step by Step. If you’ve ever wondered, “Will there ever be / a second time around?” then the theme song to TV’s biggest blended family since The Brady Bunch will inspire you. Luckily, they make out OK--“Step by step / day by day.”

8. Family Matters. This theme song might have been a little over-the-top with lines like, “All I see is a tower of dreams / with real love burstin' out of every seam.” (Is that some kind of metaphor for the Winslow’s house?) Inspirational, nonetheless.

7. The Mary Tyler Moore Show. “Who can turn the world on with her smile?” Mary Tyler Moore, of course! This theme song encouraged women everywhere to climb the corporate ladder and throw their hats up in the air, because “you’re gonna make it after all.”

6. Who’s the Boss? This song is all about the tough love. It inspires us while also placing responsibility for our happiness directly in our own hands, because “There's a path you take and a path not taken/ the choice is up to you my friend.” Luckily it all works out with a “brand new life around the bend.”

By Tom Rose
Fancast.com

In the biggest movie of the year so far, brilliant weapons inventor Tony Stark is kidnapped by a desperate group of terrorists and locked in a cave filled with some broken down lab equipment. Sure, the Ironman, as played by Robert Downey Jr., busts out by cobbling together an invincible suit of armor, but how would he fare against MacGyver, who would've escaped using nothing more than his wits, some paper clips and a couple of sticks of chewing gum? You decide.

Here's our Top 10 list of MacGyver's Greatest Tricks (and you can watch 'em all on Fancast):

10. Pilot: MacGyver escapes from a locked room by blasting a hole in the wall. He empties an aspirin capsule, and then refills it with some handy sodium metal. Dropped into a glass of water, the pill slowly dissolves. The sodium reacts violently to the water and sets off a small explosion. Sound farfetched? On a recent episode of MythBusters, Jamie and Adam deemed this stunt "plausible."

9. The Heist: MacGyver needs to trigger the sound activated lock securing a Casino vault. He fills four glasses of wine to varying levels. Then, by rubbing his fingertips around their rims, he "plays" them like a musical instrument. By reproducing the correct sequence of tones, he pops the vault door open just in the nick of time.

8. The Human Factor: MacGyver breaks out the lens of a magnifying glass and removes the crystal face from his trusty watch. By placing both components at either end of a rolled up newspaper, he constructs a crude, but effective telescope. Click here to find out what he needs to see so badly.

7. For Love or Money: MacGyver electrifies his car using baling wire to shock some mercenary soldiers who are trying to force him out of the vehicle. He runs the baling wire from the ignition coil to the frame of the car. When the mercs reach for the door handles, he touches the wire tightly to the frame, shocking them into unconsciousness.

6. Twice Stung: MacGyver breaks through the apartment door of a buddy who is dying of carbon monoxide poisoning inside. He ties one end of a fire hose to the door handle and the other end to an elevator handrail. After sending the elevator down, it pulls enough of the door away with it so that MacGyver can reach in and open the deadbolt chain door lock.

Before she knew anything about sex in the city, Sarah Jessica Parker starred on the brief but great TV series Square Pegs. It was 1982, and CBS cast Parker and Amy Linker as Patty Greene and Lauren Hutchinson, unpopular high school freshmen trying to move from the outside to the inner sanctum of cool. [see photos] Created by Anne Beatts, the first female editor of National Lampoon, the show had what LA Times critic Robert Lloyd called “a bad attitude and a good heart.” Inspired by the release of Square Pegs on DVD, here's a list of the 10 top TV shows about high school.

10. Head Of The Class: A laidback teacher provides needed guidance about life for a special class of exceptional students. [see photos]
9. Freaks and Geeks: Two unique groups of teenagers dealing with life in high school during the 80's.
8. Saved By The Bell: It follows six individual students and their four years at Bayside High School. [see photos]
7. Fame: The stories of the students and faculty of the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. [watch full episodes]
6. Friday Night Lights: [watch full episodes]

Flipper's bad. Lisa Simpson is a role model. Lassie's in a category all its own. And the show Friends, well, shame on them. That's the word from Beverly Kaskey, Senior Director of the Hollywood branch of the Humane Society of the United States, when it comes to the best and worst on TV in terms of raising awareness of animal issues. After producing the Genesis Awards, Kaskey gave Fancast her picks (listed below in no particular ranking), and explained why:

Best

The Simpsons: “Lisa the Vegetarian”- Although the seminal comedy series, watched by millions around the world, has won several Genesis Awards, this powerful episode stands out, with Lisa making the connection between the lamb chops on her plate and the lamb she had befriended earlier and refusing to eat her dinner.

CSI: ‘Unbearable” - To great dramatic effect, this ground-breaking episode took the lid off several egregious and lesser known animal issues: the so-called “sport” of canned hunting, the surplus zoo animal trade and the bear bile trade, which involves either the farming or hunting of bears for their gall bladders.

The Practice: “Food Chains” and “Small Sacrifices” - Producer and writer David E. Kelley brought his provocative talent for social commentary to these episodes about the use of chimpanzees, our closest relatives, in medical research, and the hypocrisy of opposing religious animal slaughter when viewed alongside the cruelty of factory farming.

Magnum P.I.: This popular 80s series devoted an entire episode to a dolphin rescue, making it a winner at the 1st Genesis Awards in 1986. Enlightened statements about marine mammals were made throughout, with Magnum actually declaring “it’s wrong to kill whales” – sadly, 22 years later, that message still applies.

Ellen: In her distinctively personal comedy series, Ellen DeGeneres took on the cruelty of hunting, cooking lobsters and even defended small insects - all in one season .

(Where's Lassie? Kaskey said the series falls into its own All-Time Best category "for celebrating the human-animal bond, and teaching respect for companion animals long before there was an animal protection movement.")

Worst

Survivor: Killing animals or reveling in doing unspeakable things to dead animals became an unfortunate hallmark of certain Reality TV shows. In one infamous episode – and there were many - contestants were required to behead a rooster and stab to death a squealing pig. The frenzy ended with one contestant smearing blood on his face.

Fear Factor: Also became a repeat Reality TV offender with its gross-out challenges, involving the general debasement of animals and their body parts, and the frequent, sadistic killing of live insects.

Flipper: This was a series that did much to endear dolphins to mass audiences, revealing their remarkable intelligence and extraordinary personalities. But, sadly, it popularized dolphins in negative way, creating an increase in wild dolphin captures to meet the demands of marine parks and swim-with-programs.

Friends: “The One With The Ball” - In this classic example of irresponsible pet ownership, Rachel purchases a hairless “sphinx” cat, then tires of the ridicule, and instead of finding a good home for her unwanted pet, she takes to the streets trying to sell the cat to anyone who’ll take him. This episode rounded out its disregard for animals with another character shooting a noisy bird because his early morning chirping annoys him!

The Drew Carey Show: In a 2001 episode, Drew’s animal activist girlfriend is maliciously ridiculed for her concern for animals, sending an implicit message that animal-welfare is a joke and that animals just don’t matter.

Go figure, the human body -- the one thing all of us have in common -- is causing a stir in the TV world again. On one end of the spectrum, the Parents Television Council is angry with NBC after the finale of the series Las Vegas included silhouettes of three bare women, and on the other end Lifetime’s self-esteem boosting How To Look Good Naked was the highest-rated unscripted series in that network’s history when it debuted last January. (Watch clips on Fancast.) To nudity expert Nicky Hoffman, spokesperson for The Naturist Society, a clothing-optional organization based in Oshkosh, WI, the fuss is much ado about nothing. “We do not believe non-sexual nudity is offensive,” she says of the NBC issue. “But I don’t want to see people getting undressed and having sex.” As for HTLGN, she says, “I have mixed emotions about it. Our premise is that everybody looks good naked. Why do you have to make people look good?”

So who in the eyes of Hoffman is getting it right? What shows have included nudity in a manner the Naturist Society approves as tasteful and promoting healthy, appropriate nakedness? Hoffman provided Fancast with relevant top 10 lists. But first her credentials. The 59-year-old Midwesterner has been a member of the Naturist Society since 1985, and before that, she says, “I used to come home from work and the first thing I’d do was take off my clothes.” Philosophically, she believes in “promoting nudity on appropriate public lands, like nude beaches and resorts.” But she makes it clear that “nude is not lewd.” What nude is, she says, is “beautiful.”

With television writers – presumably the brains of the whole operation – going back to work after their four-month strike, it seemed like the perfect question to ask: What are the smartest TV series of all time? Star Trek? Hill St. Blues? Taxi? West Wing? Boy Meets World?

Fancast posed the question to Jim Werdell, Chairman of MENSA International, the worldwide organization for “people from every walk of life whose IQ is in the top 2 % of the population.” In addition to a soaring intellect, the 63-year-old retired Northern California government official enjoys his TV. Werdell keeps his set on as he tackles daily MENSA duties on his computer, estimating that time about 10 hours of background listening. “I’m actually watching and paying attention about five to six hours a day,” he says.

Like his IQ, that’s still way more than the 170 minutes a day the average American spends watching TV. With those qualifications (MENSA member for 29 years, 12 years on the board of directors of MENSA America, and IQ of – well, “we don’t talk about that,” says Werdell), he seemed the perfect individual to ask for a list of the 10 Smartest TV Shows of All Time, a task he studiously and seriously took on. “It was difficult,” explains Werdell. “There were programs that were good in their time, but the way shows are made today has improved.”

by Martha White
TiVo Queen

To most, Thursday January 31st means the return of Lost. To others, it marks the debut of Eli Stone, a highly anticipated new Greg Berlanti show. To a select few Alias devotees, it means Spy Daddy Victor Garber is back on television! I couldn't help but hope for a little Jennifer Garner action on the side.

Hollywood recognizes talent, so when a show is canceled any decent actress will have other opportunities. Case in point: Kristin Bell of Veronica Mars who was snatched by not one but two shows, and now showcases her talent on Heroes and Gossip Girl.

Some talent, however, escapes TV land. Some make a run for movies. Some take the stage. Some pursue family or behind the scenes work. Here's a list of ladies that we want back in our weekly lives.

10. Caroline Dhavernas
She was wonderful on Wonderfalls as whimsical Jane Tyler. Her costar Lee Pace has found fame on this season's delightful Pushing Daisies. Will he throw Caroline a little love?

9. Daria and Jeneane Garofolo
One might be a cartoon but they're both awesomely sarcastic, bright and slightly self-hating. For every girl who wasn't a cute, popular blond, they were a godsend.

8. Ladies of a Certain Age: Candice Bergen, Wendie Malick and Sela Ward
All three are over 50 while still maintaining an aura of smart sexuality.

By Martha White
TiVo Queen

The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never
existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. ~ Rajneesh

Women on television have recently found a plethora of exciting roles – lawyer, executive, cop, secret agent. But some women are interesting and multi-dimensional in the most traditional role a woman can have. I submit to you the top 10 most compelling non-reality, non-cartoon mothers on television.

10. Lorelai Gilmore – Gilmore Girls
Ok, I don't really think that she's that compelling but I don't wantto catch flack for leaving her out.

9. Lynette Scavo, Desperate Housewives
Four kids and she still adopts her husband's illegitimate daughter? Much respect.

8. Letitia Darling, Dirty Sexy Money
Proof a woman doesn't love only once.

7. Sarah Connor, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles
Best son-savior complex since Mary of Nazareth.

6. Cylon Sharon, Battlestar Galatica
More human than human!

By Clint McLeod
Correspondent

Last week fellow Fancast contributor Bob Hellman wrote his list of The 10 Best Sitcoms. I respected the list and explanations, but I personally couldn't relate. I have not seen most of those shows, which are considered classics. So I thought I should create a list that spoke to a different audience. How about those of us who weren't old enough to remember The Odd Couple or All In The Family? So I've created a list for those of under 35.

So here is my list of: The Best 10 Sitcoms For People Under 35:

10. Parker Lewis Can't Lose: This may seem like an odd choice to start off the list, but stay with me here. For most of us that are 35 and under, we have been subjected to shows about cool kids, who ran their school. Guys like Zack Morris, Brandon Walsh and to a lesser extent Cory Matthews. But Parker was the best. His combination of charm, sarcasm and collection of Swatch Watches parlayed into one great show. Sadly, Corin Nemic hasn't been able to parlay his success into other television ventures. Here's hoping that VH1 picks him to star in a new reality show.

9. Friends: Friends is a tale of a comedy that outlived its usefulness. I think that the first half of the series was absolutely great television. The creative interplay of 6 completely opposite people made for some fantastic moments. As much as you may want to down play it, the beginning of the Ross/Rachel dynamic made us tune in to see what would happen next. I will admit that once the stars began collecting big paychecks, the series began to slide down hill. Having only 6 stars made it great in the beginning, but by the end it was its Achilles' heel. But its legacy is that it was the Must-See comedy of the first half of this decade.