TV News and Views

News: Veronica Mars has super power that allows her only to be on good shows.
Kristen Bell, aka Veronica Mars, already had a good gig lined up for her post Veronica life when she was tapped to be the narrator of OC creator Josh Schwartz’s new show Gossip Girl but now she’s taken her plans to a whole new level by landing a role on Heroes. As per usual on Heroes, her character will confuse the audience as to whether she’s good or evil but apparently she’s a bit of a bad ass. The recurring character for Bell will appear in a less then half the eps but that should help some of us Mars heads from going through complete withdrawal. Now if Enrico Colantoni gets a job on Lost I’ll be ecstatic.

Views: The Hills are more alive then ever!
Last week I expressed concern about how MTV’s The Hills would play out with its two “stars” now living in separate places and not speaking to each other. After 3 eps I think it’s safe to say that those concerns were greatly misplaced. First off they could have twenty minutes of black air as long as I get to see Lauren’s old Laguna Beach friend Lo for a scene. We missed you Lo don’t ever leave Lauren’s coattails again. Also Audrina has slipped right into Heidi’s role of dating idiots quite nicely. Her budding trainwreck with something called Justin Bobby is almost as enjoyable as when Spencer first seduced Heidi (seriously where do they find these find guys). Speaking of Heidi and Spencer I’m confused as to whether I’m supposed to cheer Heidi when she puts Spencer in his place or if I’m supposed to cheer Spencer for when he makes her question her self worth since clearly I’m supposed to hate both. Meanwhile Lauren seems to costing along but with previews showing the return of both Brody and Jason I’m sure she’ll give poor lonely Whitney many new stories to overreact to.

News: Janine Garofolo doubles the geek sex appeal on 24.
As if Chloe weren’t enough to get our inner geek tounges wagging on 24, the original queen of geek attraction, Janine Garofolo, joins the cast this year. I’m sure her role as an FBI agent won’t be a laugh riot but here’s hoping that sardonic quick wit of hers is utilized by the writers and that she and Mary Lynn Rajskub get to have a cat fight over who Jack calls for help.

Views: Anthony Bourdain gives travelogues a sad name.
I got home last night and as always checked to see what TiVo had taped for me. Usually it’s a Buffy or Angel rerun along with some crap like Celebrity Eye Candy. Yesterday though it taped a Travel Channel special entitled Anthony Bourdain in Beirut. I’m a fan of Bourdain’s show No Reservations so I decided to give this a watch and let me tell you right now, it’s the best hour of TV you’ll see this week (check the Travel Channel for repeats all week). Bourdain traveled to Beirut in summer 2006 to do an episode of his show but while there the latest chapter in the Israeli/Lebanon conflict erupted and what started as a travelogue becomes a harrowing piece of TV about the survival and destruction of a people. Sure there’s some good food thrown in but really it’s just a fascinating piece first person accounts of a war torn city.