Recently in Network TV Shows Category

Britney Spears makes her second appearance on "How I Met Your Mother" tonight and The Hollywood Reporter says in today's edition that she might be back for a third guest spot!

Britney's character of Abby, a receptionist obsessed with an uninterested Ted, has rebounded into the arms of Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) Here is a scene:

This seems like a win-win situation for Britney and for the show which now seems certain of a fourth season. Ratings have been way up since her first appearance and she has shown that despite the very public troubles she has had in recent years, she clearly seems to be on the road back.

The show's co-creator Craig Thomas told The Reporter that Monday's episode was written to leave the door open for the pop singer to make a return appearance next season: "She was better than the first time and I think the fans will enjoy it because her return answers a larger mystery set up earlier in the series. So there's a good plot reason why she's there. And when people watch Britney's second appearance on the show they'll see that the door is still open for her to come back."

Poor Jenny from Brooklyn, she didn't even know she was the beard for the dashing Asher Hornsby who, in setting her straight says: "Do you really think someone like me would date someone like you?"

But in the end, Asher is outed by the boy he was seen kissing earlier in the day: Eric Van Der Woodsen who bursts into an East Side party and tells all. He may have attempted suicide earlier this season, but this kid has found himself and is out and proud! I love it. I've grabbed what I could off of YouTube but can't find the climactic party scene and the heart-to-heart Eric has with his mom. I'll post them later when they surface.

The episode was good until the end when we find out the show's heroine, Serena, killed someone. Huh? Seems kinda jump the sharkish to me.

Stay tuned!

"Grey's Anatomy" has never been gay enough for my taste but I'm overlooked its rampant heterosexuality because not only does it star opnely gay T.R. Knight, but the eye candy also includes Patrick Dempsey and Eric Dane. I once considered Isaiah Washington eye candy until...oh nevermind.

I've been so caught up in the Scotty and Kevin lovefest on "Brothers & Sisters" that I forgot to post about "Grey's" which I did happen to catch this week after "Ugly Betty." And I sure didn't see this storyline coming: Callie (Sara Ramirez) has been cheered out of her post-George funk by the friendship of Dr. Erica Hahn (Brooke Smith) who she laughs in hallways with, drinks wine with etc. I didn't think much of it until Addison (Kate Walsh) made a much-welcomed return to the show for one episode and flat-out asked Callie: "Are you speaking the vaginia monologues now?"

The episode seemed to be setting up that Erica is a lesbian but what about Callie? Will she be up for this? At the mere suggestion, she went straight over to McSteamy at the watering hole and suggested they leave together.

Hmmm. I like it.

Britney Spears will make her second appearance on CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" May 12, Her first guest spot back in March gave the sitcom boffo ratings so no doubt this one will too.

Britney, who seems far better these days thankfully, will again play Abby - a receptionist who had a mad crush on Ted. Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is on the outs with Ted so he and Abby team up to make him jealous. They go on some kind of date, even dressing alike for it, and flaunt their "relationship" in his face.

Tonight's the night!

Eric Van Der Woodsen (Connor Paolo) is set to reveal that he is gay on "Gossip Girl" which airs on the CW (check your local listings). And not just that, he is also spotted making out with a cute guy name Asher (Jesse Swenson). The problem: Asher is the new boyfriend of Jenny (Taylor Momsen). Jenny;s brother, Dan, is dating Eric's sister, Serena.

I caught last night's episode of "Law & Order: SVU" about a closeted football star's boyfriend who ends up murdered. Handsome Bailey Chase played the pro quarterback who we think did the killing because the dead boyfriend wanted to go public. Turns out it was his slimey agent who did the deed.

Anyway, AfterElton.com has done a nice recap and I'd like to direct you there after I give you some of my impressions. I really did not like the character of the famous model who refered to the football player as a "homo, ass-bandit" etc. just because he didn't put out for her. Somebody needed to seriously rip out her vocal cords.

Chris Meloni's character disappointed me because I thought me was more evolved, maybe because he did so many guys on "OZ." When he finds out Chase's character is gay he laments: "But he's my son's hero."

So, Meloni and Mariska Hargitay think they have outed the footballer while investigating the case and he quickly gets bashed, gets a fractured skull by a group that yells "get the faggot." He ends up in a coma. A radio shock jock called Sportsman Larry was tipped off and outed him to 5 million viewers. Please tell me this is not how things would go down if a real NFL player were to come out. It really made me sick.

Mariska's character it is revelaed is dating a newspaper editor played by Bill Pullman and she gets suspended because they think she leaked the information about the gay footballer to the press. Pullman, one of my longtime crushes, is aging wonderfully, looks as handsome as ever. But he was largely wasted in the episode. Maybe he'll be back for a return visit!

After spending much of the first season mostly making fun of Betty and scheming with his boss Wilhelmina, Marc (Michael Urie) will have plenty of reason to be a nicer person during the second season of "Ugly Betty." Marc will get involved with Cliff, a young photographer at MODE magazine. Cliff will be portrayed by David Blue/ His previous credits include guest spots on "Veronica Mars," "Scrubs," and "Dirt."
Patti LuPone, who played Marc's unaccepting mother during an episode last season, will return for at least another appearabce. "Betty" not only has the openly gay character of Marc, but also transgendered female Alexis (Rebecca Romijn) and Betty's nephew Justin who is a little diva in the making.
Love it!

Just found this out via Towleroad.com...the acclaimed "Forever Blue" episode of the CBS drama "Cold Case" about two police officers in love in the 60s, is being re-broadcast at 9 p.m. on Sunday night...right after "Big Brother 8.": My evening is set! Here is a clip from the much buzzed-about episide which has been compared to "Brokeback Mountain."
u

Oh, this is delicious.
One half of the gay couple moving into the neighborhood on "Desperate Housewives" happens to be the ridiculously handsome and very talented Tuc Watkins (pictured, left) who I have been a huge fan of since his role as a gay television executive for two seasons of the late, great Showtime series "Beggars and Choosers."
TV Guide.com reports that Watkins' other half on the show will be played by the very appealing Kevin Rahm who joined the cast of "Judging Amy" for several seasons after Dan Futterman departed. I love these selections.
TV Guide describes the characters this way:Watkins will play Bob, described as a country mouse who leaves the big city for greener (and quieter) pastures. Rahm is his bitchy partner, Lee.
I assume Lee will be the one who clashes with neighbor Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher).
Watkins is a wonderful talent and very good at comedy as evidenced by his long run, on and off, on "One Life to Live" where he played the cad David Vickers who was a wonderful match for the show's reigning bitch Dorian (Robin Strasser). He has also played gay on other ocassions besides "Beggars" including iin the indie fave "I Think I Do..." and on an episode of the since-cancelled CBS drama "Family Law"
I've met hkm twice while out and about and both times, he could not have been nicer....or hotter!

Related posts:
Gay Couple Moving onto Wisteria Lane
Lost memories of celeb cell phone encounters

Just spoke with sources at ABC. The story about David Beckham and Robbie Williams playing a gay couple on "Desperate Housewives" is, as I suspected, bogus.
This "report" was all over the blogs this morning so I shared it but was skeptical about it. I wrote exclusively last week about the gay couple that "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry planned to have move onto Wisteria Lane. During our conversation, Cherry said he had not began casting the parts but now there are bizarre reports that the new gay couple is going to be Robbie Williams and David Beckham.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm. Sounded too bizarre and I was determined to get the real story. Even the "quote" from Cherry sounded fake: "David and Robbie are perfect to star as the new neighbors' best friends; the gorgeous, eccentric couple flown over from Blighty (Britain),"Cherry is quoted as saying."We haven't had that kind of wow for the wives since Jesse Metcalfe left and we want it to cause such a stir when they turn out to be together. David's keen, but though the obvious choice was to work with Tom Cruise, we wanted someone who matches him in height and well, Britishness, so Robbie is the one. They're both funny, game for a laugh and ridiculously macho, so it should work wonderfully... the English are pitch-perfect for sending themselves up."
Will keep ya posted on the REAL casting of the gay couple.

Related post: Exclusive: Gay Couple Moving onto Wisteria Lane

I wish I could say this is my scoop but I'm trying to have a rare vacation day today (posts will return to regular levels tomorrow) but these belong to Chicago Tribune television critic Maureen Ryan who paid a visit to the set of "Ugly Betty" and came back with all kinds of goodies. I offer you a sampling...

STOP READING HERE if you want to be kept in suspense!
Betty has a possible new love interest even though Henry (adorable Christopher Gorham) comes back to work at Mode...Santos, shot in a convenience store robbery, does not die...Wihelmina's assistant Marc (Michael Urie) gets a romance this season and the great Patti LuPone will return as Marc's formidable mother. She might finally be coming around to accepting that her son is gay. Well, she BETTER, she's Patti LuPone for god's sake...the gays made her!
Urie will also have scenes with Betty's nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato) who becomes an intern at Mode and is one of several managed by Marc.
For those of you who really loved the Season 1 scenes between Marc and Betty's nephew Justin (Mark Indelicato), there's more good stuff to come: Early in Season 2, Justin is one of several Mode interns Marc has to manage.
"I spent the whole morning screaming and yelling at them," Urie tells Ryan of a recent day of filming. "They didn't get the right kind of bendy straws for a Shakira photo shoot. It was such funny stuff."

I. Can't. Wait.

Here's some big news: While trying to get Marc Cherry to reveal what he will be doing with gay teen character Andrew Van De Kamp on the upcoming season of "Desperate Housewives," he shared this bombshell: a male gay couple in moving onto Wisteria Lane!
"We're going to have the first male desperate housewives," Cherry said to me and a few other reporters at the ABC Press Tour party. "They will move into the old Applewhite house and one of the gay men will just have a fractious, hateful relationship with Teri Hatcher. We just started writing the episodes so I probably won't start casting for another few weeks."
One of the gay men will lock horns with next-door neighbor Susan Mayer (Teri Hatcher) and could be her new nemesis fior awhile now that Edie (Nicolletee Sheridan) is all gaga over Carlos. [I'm assuming Edie didn't REALLY hang herself in the season finale, of course].
"I just decided to have them move onto the street and have as many issues as any other couple. And Susan wants to be so politically correct and show how open-minded she is and she puts her foot in her mouth instantly and it goes downhill from there. I'm basing it a little bit on my relationship with my neighbors."
When I asked Hatcher was asked about Susan clashing with one of the gay men she assured that it is: "not over being gay!"
The new gay pair means Andrew (Shawn Pyfrom) won't be getting a new boyfriend anytime soon although Cherry says he will be involved in one of the early plotlines involving Lynette (Felicity Huffman) and her bout with cancer.
Pyfrom, who turns 21 next month, has been on the show since the start going from rebellious teen to gay sociopath to glorified extra.
"That's the crazy thing about this. You kind of go into blindly not knowing what you are going to be doing," he told me. "I always like to do more, whether that involve me having to kiss another guy or whatever it doesn't matter. I love being able to become something in a character."
There has been speculation over whether Andrew might dabble with bisexuality. Cherry isn't sayng and Pyfrom says he hasn't been told one way or another. But the straight actor wouldn't mind very much.
"It would be nice if I could get a nice, hot 19 year old girl on there that I could full around with but you know what? I know they'll choose something great whether he goes bi or not, they'll make it interesting. Whatever they throw at me, I'm willing to take."

Wayne Brady is just THE MAN today. He was a terrific guest on "The View" this morning and tonight, be sure to catch him on a repeat of a classic episode of "How I Met Your Mother." As you know, Barney, played by out actor Neil Patrick Harris, is a real skirtchaser. Wayne plays his brother (they have different fathers...duh) who is the gay version of Barney...a real dudechaser who finally decides to settle down. Barney is not happy about it.
The show will air in its new time slot of 9:3o tonight on CBS.

Earlier related post: A Brilliant Gay-themed Episode of 'How I Met Your Mother"

It would be really cool to start doing weekly "Desperate Housewives" recaps next fall when the show begins its fourth season. But it won't happen unless Andrew Van de Kamp (Shawn Pyfrom) re-emerges as a prominant gay character again. To have him be one of the most interesting characters for two seasons then reduce him to glorified extra is puzzling and certainly not unnoticed. I am staying with the show, for now, because it's still entertaining but the season finale last night, in which Andrew had maybe two or three LINES, is one reason why I am wavering.
I gotta say, the return of Andrew's mother, Bree, was a breath of fresh air because Marcia Cross plays one of the most delicious characters on television. And thank GOD Mike (James Denton) and Susan (Teri Hatcher) finally tied the knot after three seasons of on-again and off-again.
I hope next season brings them some fun storylines and less melodrama because these two actors have terrific chemistry and could be a real delight pratfalling their way through life for awhile.
The addition of Polly Bergen as Lynette's mother is genius! She storms in and says: "Where the HELL do you get off having cancer and not telling me about it?" And she just goes off from there. It seems that we will be seeing her next season as Lynette begins chemo etc. This is a much better role for the wonderful Bergen who was last seen as the the president's mother on "Commander In Chief."
But c'mon. Edie tries to kill herself over CARLOS? Pul-eeze. That was lame. As is Gabby marrying this ambitious politician who is just using her for the Latino vote. Is she really that stupid? I just hope that Gabby will turn the tables and manipulate herself into all kinds of payoff. But her having an affair with ex-hubby Carlos? I'd rather watch grass grow.

Pardon me while I lose my composure.
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK, breathe Greg...breathe.
I just read that CBS has cancelled one of my favorite little comedies: "The Class." It is tragic! Does winning the People's Choice Award for favorite new comedy mean nothing???
I enjoyed this show so much and really felt like it had its best days ahead. The ratings were not through the roof but they were solid. But CBS, unlike NBC, does not have to renew its marginal hits since it has fewer holes on its schedule to plug. Adorable Jason Ritter was such a delight on this show and I will miss him and his perfect hair. The rest of the cast was talented, attractive and had terrific comic timing. The show had a gay character, Sean, who had a hunky boyfriend at the start of the season then didn't anymore which was disappointing.
And then there was the absolutely delicious comic creation that was Perry Pearl, the gayest "straight" man on the face of the Earth. Sam Harris, best known for his powerhouse singing, was a blast in this part and I loved doing recaps of this show each week - especially the parts involving Perry.
At least CBS renewed a couple of its other Monday night comedies that I also think are first-rate: "The New Adventures of the Old Christine" and "How I Met Your Mother" starring the out actor Neil Patrick Harris, among others.

Earlier posts::
THE CLASS DISMISSED FOR NOW

PERRY PEARL: WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE!

A NEW RELATIONSHIP ON THE CLASS

A VERY GAY THANKSGIVING ON THE CLASS

IN THE CLOSET ON THE CLASS

A KISS ON THE CLASS

When I saw "Desperate Housewives" creator Marc Cherry working the press line at Saturday night's GLAAD Awards, I was ready to let him have it. I've been bitching for several months now about how the character of Andrew Van de Kamp has gone from a sexually active gay teenager (whose a bit of a sociopath!) to this sweet Wally Cleaver kid.
But before I could get to Marc, I chatted up Andrew Van de Kamp himself, Shawn Pyfrom!
Greg: It's like Andrew has had a lobotomy or something. We want evil Andrew back.
Shawn: Well, he was out on the streets for a little while but I don't think it's completely out of him. I suppose it's still in there waiting to come out. I think it's just sort of laying low right now.
Greg: Has Andrew really forgiven his mom? I mean, he actually went to bed with her boyfriend!
Shawn: I know, I did some nasty stuff (laughs). As far as the way I've been playing it, I've made it as though he has somewhat forgiven his mother [who dropped him off in the middle of nowhere after Andrew seduced the boyfriend]
and grown up a little bit from being out in the streets. I'm just going off as much as I know so hopefully, they won't they don't throw something out there that would completely contradict that."
Then it was time to talk to Marc Cherry...
Greg: I want to know what's happening with Andrew. We're not seeing him as much anymore. Is he still gay? Is he still evil?
Marc: This is a guy who was kicked out of the house by his mother last season and had some rough experiences and now he's becoming a functioning member of the family. We're seeing him. He's working with Tom and Lynette in their restaurant and he gets his little jibes in. What I really worked on this year was seeing him as a member of the family and it wasn't his gayness that came first, it was him as a son trying to re-establish his relationship with Bree. So this has been a year more about trying to get Bree and Andrew together as a family...and I'm sure something really awful is going to happen next year."
Greg: so is Andrew going to have a boyfriend or a date or something?
Marc: I would imagine that there will be some sort of relatonship for Andrew in the future, yes.
Greg: What about having him get involved with someone at [Tom and Lynette's] pizza joint?
Marc: Yeah, it could happen. There's some cute people there.
Sounds good to me!
Just for kicks, I also saw Andrea Bowen who plays Andrew's neighbor Julie Meyer on the show and asked her what she thought of Andrew's love life: "I want him to have a boyfriend! I want Justin (Ryan Carnes) to come back on the show. I am so proud to be on a show that portrays gay characters and is very open about it. So, I root for Andrew, I'm right there."

After watching "Desperate Housewives" last night, I was set to write a scathing post about what is happening to my favorite sociopathic gay teenager: Andrew Van De Kamp, played so wonderfully by Sean Pyfrom. You remember Andrew don't you? He's the kid who kissed the cute boy in the pool during season one and slept with his mother's boyfriend last season. Well, last night, he was on-screen for all of maybe two minutes as part of the crew working at Lynette and Tom's pizza parlor. There was another cute guy there and I thought, "Why not have him and Andrew hook up?" Give Andrew SOMETHING to do.
Quite frankly, it is pissing me off that the show's only gay character has been relegated to glorified extra. If I didn't enjoy the rest of the characters so much I'd boycott it! Anyway, Mr.GuyTVBlog apparently feels the same way that I do. Check out his tirade!

This would be funny if it weren't so annoying.
One of the castaways on ABC's "Lost" was revealed to be gay in this week's episode: Boone, portrayed by the very pretty Ian Somerhalder. Just one little problem: Boone was killed off in the first season! And during that initial season, which remains the show's best, the only attraction Boone seemed to have was toward his stepsister Shannon! And it is through Shannon, in a flashback sequence, that we learn about Boone's sexuality. In the scene, the step-siblings are in the airport and she rips on him for hitting on every cute guy he sees. At least show us him hitting on a cute guy...give us SOMETHING!
What a ripoff. Maybe the show has plans to have more flashbacks with Boone making out with Jack (Matthew Fox) or Sawyer (Josh Halloway). I'd forgive them anything if we had that. But since neither Sawyer or Jack are gay (that we know of!), that ain't gonna happen. If I were a gay guy trapped on that island, i don't know how you don't fall for Jack.
I was ticked when Ian was killed off because he's been on my radar ever since he was on a long-ago and short-lived WB drama "Young Americans." He fell in love with a girl who was pretending to be a guy so she could attend the all-boy boarding school and he started to think he might be gay because of his strong attraction to this guy...who was really a girl.
And Ian showed in the indie gem "Rules of Attraction" that he isn't afraid to play gay or do a same-sex love scene. His kiss with co-star James Van Der Beek was semi-hot but even hotter was a sexy dance he did on the bed in his hotel room with another guy whose name I don't remember. But he was really gay in "Rules" and went after who and what he wanted.
Anyway, I'm pretty much off "Lost" this season anyway but if I hear they are going to explore this gay angle a bit more via-flashbacks, I'd be back in the fold.

It's always a happy day when you have reason to post a picture of Robert Gant. And if he happens to be shirtless in that picture, all the better! Gant, who came out publicly while a cast member of Showtime's "Queer As Folk," is going to appear in tonight's episode of "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" in an episode that involves a string of showgirl murders, according to Brian's Blog on AterElton.com.
Gant, who co-stars with Chad Allen and Judith light in the indie feature "Save Me" which was featured at Sundance a few months ago, is one of those truly talented and nice people who you root for to have great success.

I'd love to see more regular gay characters on network television because let's face it, Kevin Walker can't carry the load for everyone and I'm not even so sure Andrew Van De Kamp is still gay we see so little of him. But one recent trend that has been good to see is how a growing number of series are producing gay-themed episodes. In the past seven days alone, there has been gay characters as guest stars on three different shows: "The New Adventures of Old Christine," "The Wedding Bells" and "The Winner."
Last night's episode of the new sitcom "The Winner" (pictured above) had star Rob Corddry becoming friends with a recently-single (and rather hunky) gay man whom he refuses to believe is gay because the guy likes football, among other "straight" things. Two nights earlier on "The Wedding Bells" featured Stephen Guarino (pictured, left) as a flamboyant groom who everyone is sure is gay.
I've already written about the "Old Christine" episode that aired on Monday so click HERE to read that but in a nutshell, Charles Esten (pictured, right) guested as Christine's former brother-in-law who is coming to terms with being gay. Esten was so funny (and gorgeous) that I want him to have a recurring role!
AfterElton.com explores this topic in its BLOG today and I recommend reading their take.

I'm still catching up on TV shows after my all-to-brief vacation. Monday night marked the welcome return of the very, very funny Julia Louis-Dreyfus sitcom "The New Adventures of Old Christine." I have loved this show since its premiere last year and it remains FUNNY.
The first show that aired on Monday was a repeat but I had never seen it before Old Christine's ex-hubby Richard (his new girlfriend is known as new Christine to avoid confusion) has a really hot brother named Joe who is played by Charles Esten. Joe is struggling with being gay but realizes, after kissing his former sister-in-law Christine, that he is indeed gay! He's not ready to come out to big bro but old Christine, always the blabber mouth, spills it. A series of lies and misunderstandings follow and it is all very funny. New Christine even blurts out that she was briefly a lesbian while in college.
TV Guide, in its weekly "Cheers and Jeers" column, gives a cheer to Esten "for his witty turn as Julia Louis-Dreyfus' ambiguously gay ex-brother-in-law." The magazine notes that Esten is an alum of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" and "is one of those rare actors who's equallyg funny AND handsome."
So here's my idea: why not have him show up on a regular basis to stir things up? Maybe he can hook up with Christine's brother who's not gay but sure seems like he should be!