The Return of Amy Sherman-Palladino

Amy Sherman-Palladino is ...

I am having a hard time completing that sentence. As the creator of Gilmore Girls, I want to say she is brilliant, fascinating, sharp and amazingly fast. Her work was some of most witty and underrated material on TV this decade, especially for female characters. After a long dry spell, she made me believe in fun television again.

But Sherman-Palladino left Gilmore Girls when the ladies made the jump from the WB to the CW, leaving her first love much worse for the wear. Gilmore Girls only lasted one more season without her at the helm and it was a very trying season at that.

But Sherman-Palladino is back. Sticking with the fairer sex, SP's new show ,The Return of Jezebel James, is about a busy career woman who convinces her estranged sister to serve as her surrogate. The show features trusted actresses Parker Posey (Waiting For Guffman) and Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under).

I want this show to be good. I have a great respect for Amy Sherman-Palladino as a writer and televisionary. The last season of Gilmore Girls shouldn't have had to be awful in vain. But I am hesitant. The reviews are pouring in ahead of the show's premiere tonight and they are far from complimentary. And Jezebel James' Friday night time slot certainly won't help it.

But I'm holding out hope. Amy Sherman-Palladino made me believe once, and now I will do the same for her.

The Return of Jezebel James premieres tonight on Fox at 8/7C.

The End Of An Era

I'm pretty big on TV on DVD and I've got a pet name for my DVR (Clem) so it takes a lot for me to miss an episode of a show I care about. I was (probably still am) a pretty ravenous Gilmore Girls fan, but with a hectic schedule, a poor choice to record American Idol and no friends on DVR bandwagon, I missed one episode of the show's final season.

But months after we waived bon voyage to Rory and Lorelai something hit me. The show as I knew it wasn't over. I was missing one piece. I was like that uncoordinated awkward kid who couldn't put together the shrine of the silver monkey on Legends of the Hidden Temple. I couldn't advance to the last room because the head wasn't on straight.

I waited to buy the seventh season on DVD. Then I delayed even further and watched every episode leading up to the missing link. Tonight, I finally completed my Gilmore Girls mission. I laughed a little harder, the sentimental stuff was even squishier than usual and every thing felt new again...because it was. The 44 minutes came to quickly and when the credits ran, it was like losing the show all over again.

But at the same time it was letting it go. Most of my favorite shows are off the air but the memories, quotations, and sidesplitting scenes haunt my memory and my DVD rack. Cleaning out the space where Gilmore Girls used to sit is making room for something new...

whenever and whatever it may be.

Edward Herrmann is The Man

I was watching Grey's Anatomy tonight. I know, I know. I said I quit. And I did. But there was nothing on TV and I got sucked in on a one-liner. But truth be told, I was glad I watched. It's probably not for the reasons you think. 

I still hate Yang. I don't want to hear about Lexie Grey, and George is a fool for leaving a fox like Callie for an annoying bitch like Izzie. But I digress. 

I enjoyed tonight's episode because it featured a guest appearance by my favorite old-man actor, Edward Herrmann. On Grey's he plays the old-man intern Norman, who starts medical school after 30 years as a pharmacist. Herrmann is better known to our generation as Mr. Rich in the Richie Rich movie, and Grandpa Richard Gilmore on Gilmore Girls.

I was reminded of how much I enjoyed Herrmann's acting and comedic timing when I watched a recent episode of 30 Rock. His stint on Grey's only solidified my thoughts. He always gets stuck playing the uppity, know-it-all rich white guy, but he does it with a charm that makes The Man so much more tolerable. 

Kudos to you Ed. That's a feat very few people could manage. 

Goodbye Norman Mailer

Norman Mailer died today of acute renal failure at the age of 84. When he wasn't drinking, doing drugs, stabbing his wife, serving in the military or dealing with one of his nine kids, Mailer was writing some of the best literature of the 20th century. Oh, and when he wasn't doing all of those things, he was doing a guest spot on Gilmore Girls.

Sookie (Melissa McCarthy) said it best, in this episode titled, Norman Mailer, I'm Pregnant:

"He takes up space, he drinks iced tea, he scares the other people off."

America just lost one of the last great rebels. There aren't too many people left willing to just stick it to people. Goodbye Norman Mailer.