If I have to read one more Google Alert.....

....about Mary Elizabeth Mastriantonio joining the cast of LOCI I will scream. No offense to the lovely lady. Like I said, I really thought she did a great job in Abyss and The Perfect Storm.

I'm just so tired of hearing how she's stepping into the captain's role. It just reminds me of the fact that the powers-that-be have fucked things up on what was once my favorite show. If they keep shoving these reminders in my face, I'm going to have to just turn off my alerts for a while. It's annoying to see it mentioned in Vincent D'Onofrio alerts, Kathryn Erbe alerts, Eric Bogosian alerts and LOCI alerts. :-/

However, I've ranted so much on this subject, I thought I'd just talk about other shows I've been watching instead.

Unfortunately Flash Forward is starting to annoy me. I don't know why. Started out strong but now the lead characters are behaving in ways that make me dislike them. Well, maybe not dislike but I'm annoyed with them.

I've tried watching Eastwick and it's okay for mindless, light entertainment. But it's not MUST SEE as it were.

ABC has the best new comedies. The Middle, Modern Family and Cougar Town.

The Middle stars Patricia Heaton (Everybody Loves Raymond) and Neil Flynn (Scrubs). Cute show about a family living in Indiana. For some reason I just love these people and can relate to them on so many levels. Financial problems, kids who annoy the hell out of you but who you love and adore because they really are sweet and good at heart, being so busy running around trying to keep it together. I guess I can relate. Especially about eating dinner - take out from some fast food place in front of the television set.

Modern Family is awesome. It's Ed O'Neill's new sitcom. Ed O'Neill as in Al Bundy from Married With Children. A show that had no redeeming social value at all but was hysterically funny because they were so awful it was just funny. This show, however, has some redeeming values. Ed O'Neill plays Jay, the patriarch of a modern family. That includes his new and much younger wife and her son from a previous marriage. His daughter and her idiot husband and their three kids and his gay son and his partner who have just adopted an Asian child. It's funny and touching and does all the right things comedies are supposed. Nice to see Ed O'Neill back in a strong comedy that this time actually has some socially redeeming value.

Cougar Town is Courtney Cox's new comedy. She is awesome. She's hysterically neurotic and portrays a newly divorced woman finding her own way. Her character is not stereotypical in the sense that she isn't the 'dumped wife.' Her husband didn't leave her for a younger trophy wife. She dumped her husband, who she supported and continues to support. They have a friendly relationship despite it all and she plays a deliciously funny character. Cox is the modern day Lucille Ball. She excels at physical comedy and really shines. I remember she used to be the character on Friends who stood out the least of the bunch. What a great discovery she has turned out to be.

Let's see...oh, I know. I have to tell you all that you need to sign up for Netflix and watch television programs that way. Especially dramas. Right now my husband and I are almost done with Oz. We're discussing what to move on to next. It's a terrific way to see it from beginning to end without interruption. You get a great sense of the show and the arc and no waiting on cliff hanger endings. lol

Speaking of Oz, it's not for everyone. But if you can handle it, it's a fantastic drama. It's a Barry Levinson production and deals with inmates and employees of a maximum security prison. There's a wonderful cast and intense story lines. The violence is very graphic and it's not for the squeamish. There's a reason it was on HBO and not network - which is neatly sanitized and bland for all.

And of course my latest obsession - or my latest reacquainted obsession. Monty Python on the Independent Film Channel. They had a Monty Python week and I was reminded of the brilliance of the Python crew and how they make everything that came after them seem amateur. Saturday Night Live at its best couldn't touch Python. The physical and verbal comedy set the bar so high I doubt anyone will be able to touch them. They have me laughing so hard I had to use an inhaler and I already know most of the dialog from their movies Monty Python & The Holy Grail and Life of Brian by heart. And of course their sketches from Monty Python's Flying Circus.

Independent Film Channel is a must have and if you don't have it, write to your cable company and tell them to get on the ball. They have the best films and they do the best comedy. They are running Arrested Development - a show that was doomed to fail on network because it wasn't bland and predictable. They have a great sketch comedy show featuring The Whitest Kids You Know. Quite hysterical stuff.

Oh and if that's not enough, for Vincent D'Onofrio fans, he does tend to have a fondness for independent films so you know they will show up there eventually. :-)

Anyway, it's a great channel. Hey, Henry Rollins had a show on this network. :-)

For grown ups who don't need fluff, go there.

Well, I leave you with one of the funniest Monty Python bits. It's short so if you don't like it and think it's stupid, you won't have to suffer long. 15 whole seconds and posted on YouTube by Dangerdan.