TV

What's on your mind this November sweeps? Talk about it on the TV Gal message boards.

To the TV Gal Reader Belong the Spoils

Remember, don't read if you don't want to know.

This just in from the "ask and you shall receive" department. Bradley Cooper is back on "Alias" on Sunday, Dec. 7. So is Faux Francie. Sydney will pull her best friend out of the witness protection program. Jack and Vaughn will get arrested for their part in helping Sydney escape from NSC custody and I certainly hope nobody is starting to trust Sloane. I'm sure you've heard by now that Lena Olin has not yet signed on to appear on the show this season. Keep your fingers crossed, because we so need Irina, and I don't want a whole season of Jack's sending little love notes via instant messages.

It's going to take a lot of love to make romance right in the "ER." Help comes from Thandie Newton who begins her guest-star stint this Thursday (NBC, 10 p.m.) She'll play a health worker who helps AIDS patients in the Congo. And we know who else is in the Congo, don't we? That's right, she'll fall in love with our Dr. Carter and follow the good doctor back to Chicago. Also, Joy Bryant will play the physically handicapped sister of Dr. Gallant. Since this ain't no movie but there is Mekhi Phifer, she'll fall in love with Dr. Pratt.

Danny Strong (Jonathan/The First on "Buffy") will appear in at least one more episode of "Gilmore Girls" as Rory's editor at the Yale newspaper, and there's a strong possibility that the role will continue throughout the season.

Best News of the Week

"American Idol" is back returns for its third edition on Tuesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. ET. After that, the show will air Tuesdays at 8 p.m., with the results show airing Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. Allow me to take this moment to commend the series for only producing one Idol a year, like Miss America. It's a good plan. Let's hope they keep it up.

You know I adore the ABC Family movies. Here's more reasons why: "Picking Up and Dropping Off," starring Scott Wolf and executive produced by Lisa Kudrow, airs Sunday, Dec. 7. Jason Priestley, Bradley Cooper and Emma Caulfield will star in "I Want to Marry Ryan Banks," which is currently filming and will air sometime in January. Seriously, how utterly fabulous is the casting on these movies? It's like they sat down and thought, "Hmmm ... who would Amy like to see?" and then called up those exact stars.

Quotes of the Week, Part 2

"You should get a spot in Bel Air." Neesee to Jonny (Will Smith) on "All of Us." Oh you know I watched to see my Fresh Prince.

"I always knew you were a late bloomer, sweetie." Kirsten to Seth after she realizes two girls like her son on "The O.C."

"You stud." John to Andy after learning that Connie was pregnant on "NYPD Blue."

"Congratulations on the successful commingling of your genetic material." Lilith to Niles and Daphne on "Frasier."

"Drusilla sired me, but you made me a monster." Spike to Angel on "Angel."

"I even thought about having plastic surgery until I saw 'Nip/Tuck.'" Mike's mother to Nancy on "Ed."

"How do I know he loves me if he doesn't obey me?" Jackie to Kitty about Hyde on "That '70s Show."

Highlights of the Week Ahead, Part 2
All times listed are Eastern Time for Nov. 20 to 23.

I didn't really miss her, did you? Grace is back on "Will & Grace" (Thursday, NBC, 9 p.m.). The incessant promos keep showing the clip of Grace saying, "there's a problem in my marriage and I don't know how to fix it." Well, hello, the problem is you never should have married Leo in the first place. I have never understood what the show runners hoped to accomplish with this storyline. Messing and Harry Connick Jr. have no chemistry and the show is based on the idea of Grace having a dating life, not a married life. On the other hand, I do love the idea of Jack in nursing school, the less shallow they make Karen and Jack, the more humorous they become.

Here's how I'm feeling. Either Sarah and Grissom kiss on "CSI" (Thursday, CBS, 9 p.m.) or we drop this storyline all together. Who's with me?

It's a doozy of an "ER" (Thursday, NBC, 10 p.m.) episode. Since all the promos promise "A fatal crash, a doctor killed," I'm not giving anything away by telling you that not everyone survives this episode.

I heard from so many of you that you were waiting for Kate to make a same sex match on "Miss Match" (Friday, NBC, 9 p.m.). Once again straight out of the "ask and you shall receive" file, Kate will set up her first lesbian couple. Also, Dina Meyer (star of the short-lived "Birds of Prey") guest stars as Michael's ex-girlfriend and Kate's newest client. Oh, and tons of TV Gal readers mentioned this to me and I hadn't thought of it, but it is very cute that Kate dressed up as Cher for Halloween. Remember, Cher was the name of Alicia Silverstone's "Clueless" character.

A friend of mine is convinced that if you took out the shots of bikini clad women, "Las Vegas" would be about five minutes long. NBC is giving the series a chance to pick up additional fans by repeating it on Saturday night (NBC, 9 p.m.). If you're like me and you're busy watching "Everwood" and "Everybody Loves Raymond" Monday night, check out the show that will surely become this season's guilty pleasure.

Hilary Duff and her sister Haylie guest star on "American Dreams" (Sunday, NBC, 8 p.m.) as members of the Shangri-Las.

I'm still upset about Lilly's hairstyle (Seriously, it's like an over-stylized reverse mullet), but I have to confess that "Cold Case" (Sunday, CBS, 8 p.m.) is growing on me.

Liza Minnelli and Ron Howard's brother Clint guest star on "Arrested Development" Sunday at 9:30 p.m. on FOX. Minnelli is a hoot. You must start watching this show. Don't make me start going door-to-door in my one woman campaign to save the show from cancellation.

I wasn't the biggest fan of "Tarzan" (Sunday, WB, 9 p.m.), but there are many fans out there. My in-box has been inundated with e-mails begging me to save the show. People if I had any power at the frog network, "Buffy" never would have left The WB. But there is a fairly fervent online campaign happening, go to http://savetarzan.withtheprettiness.net for more information.

So as you know I broke up with "The Practice" (Sunday, ABC, 10 p.m.) last season. Sometimes you have to weigh a relationship and think, is watching this show doing me more harm than good? Last season it was. I couldn't watch without lamenting at what a great show it used to be, how much I used to love it, how I used to have such a crush on Dylan McDermott. But with all the screaming and half of the firm committing murder, well, I simply gave up. But just when I thought I was out, David E. Kelley pulled me back in. Oh, don't get me wrong, the show is still flawed. But Kelley kept all the characters he hadn't written into the ground, especially my favorite -- Camryn Manheim. The cases have been more interesting and surprising (Chris O'Donnell's arc kept me guessing) and even James Spader's wacky Alan Shore isn't as bad as I originally thought. Although I remain concerned that, like so many characters on "Ally McBeal," Alan will become a series of ticks and idiosyncrasies instead of a fully fleshed out character. The show's far from perfect but it's not the disaster it was last season. I have to say I'm impressed. This Sunday, Alan defends a mentally unstable man and uses illegal tactics -- yet another story line that will grow old fast. There was talk that Dylan McDermott would return this season, but now I feel like he doesn't even need to.

That's all for today. I'll be back next Monday with a look at the season premiere of "The Bernie Mac Show," "7th Heaven" (Dr. Matt's back), "Everwood" (why doesn't the Madison and Ephram romance bother me more?) and much, much more. And coming in December, a review of the new series "Line of Fire" (Teri Bauer lives) and the best of everything television -- the best quotes of the year, the best characters, and the best shows. Have question, seen a familiar face, have an inside scoop or want to nominate a quote of the week? Write me at amytvgal@zap2it.com by clicking on my byline at the top of my column.