Alcon now has Summit's problem: What's an indie to do after a mega-hit?

Alcon Entertainment has the same luxury problem as Summit Entertainment: What to do with its box office bounty?

In an intriguing twist at a time when most of the major studios are cutting back on expenses and rethinking strategies, the top two spots at the box office for two weekends in a row have been taken by movies fully financed by relatively tiny independent studios.

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" and "The Blind Side" aren't only the top two movies, though. They're hugely successful pictures that will be profitable based on ticket sales alone, even before hitting DVD and other ancillary markets.

"New Moon," of course, is the second hit in Summit's "Twilight" big-screen series and has already got the less than 3-year old studio thinking about its future. 

But the success of "The Blind Side" has been a shocker. The movie cost only $35 million to produce and has already grossed more than $100 million domestically, with $200-million-plus now a certainty. It is the highest-grossing movie ever for 12-year-old Alcon, surpassing "Insomnia," and will become its most profitable, ahead of the low-cost family drama "My Dog Skip."

"This is the kind of thing that changes your business, obviously," Andrew Kosove, co-chief executive of Alcon, said Sunday morning.

He and partner Broderick Johnson started Alcon in 1997 with financial backing from FedEx chairman and founder Fred Smith, who has continued to fund the company for its entire existence, during which hits like "Insomnia" and "Skip" have been balanced by flops like "Chasing Liberty" and "16 Blocks."

"This is the story of a private individual who stayed with us when we had unsuccessful films and is now going to make a great deal of money, which is a nice thing to be able to say," said Kosove.

Alcon has traditionally pre-sold its movies to foreign distributors to raise capital -- often with the help of Summit and its predecessor company, ironically enough -- but didn't do so with "The Blind Side" since its plot revolves around the very American sport of football, deemed to be of little interest overseas. But audience reaction in the U.S. has been so strong that Warner Bros., which is distributing the movie worldwide, is now putting together plans for a foreign release.

Kosove said it likely will start in Germany and the United Kingdom, where Bullock is popular, with hopes of expanding further into Europe. While foreign grosses likely won't be nearly as strong as domestic, any money made overseas at this point will be pure profit.

Even after marketing expenses and Warners' distribution fee, Alcon is sure to clear well into the tens of millions, if not more, when all is said and done with "The Blind Side." There's no "Twilight"-like franchise in the real life story, of course, so the money won't be going back into a sequel. It could go into more ambitious productions, acquisitions, expansions into other media, or perhaps into a bank account for the type of rainy day that independents such as the Weinstein Co. and MGM have experienced lately.

"The very simple answer is this puts us in a very strong financial position," said Kosove. "The more complicated answer is, OK, if you're a small indie company and you have a big hit movie, what's the appropriate strategic maneuver to capitalize on that in the long term? We have to figure out how to be smart and not blow through the money."

-- Ben Fritz

Photo: Sandra Bullock and Tim McGraw in "The Blind Side." Credit: Ralph Nelson / Warner Bros.

sons of anarchy fx kurt sutter
An interview with Kurt Sutter, creator and executive producer of Sons of Anarchy.

Young classical musicians defy stereotypes on 'From the Top,' coming to Stanford Saturday
The hit public-radio showcase for killer young classical musicians attracts a weekly audience estimated at more than 700,000 while demolishing the idea that classical players are all geeks.
Director Jason Reitman Finds His Feet 'Up In The Air'

Director Jason Reitman may be young, but he comes from Hollywood stock — his dad is Ghostbusters creator Ivan Reitman — and he has already directed two well-received feature films, Juno and Thank You For Smoking. His latest is Up in the Air, starring George Clooney. Reitman says it's his first really mature work as a moviemaker.

Thanksgiving box office record blown away despite absence of new hits

There were no major new hits at the box office this weekend, but that was of little concern to Hollywood as total ticket sales blew away the previous record.

Domestic box-office receipts from Wednesday through Sunday totaled an estimated $275 million, beating the previous mark set in 2000 by 12%, according to Hollywood.com. Although no new pictures drew big audiences, a number of existing ones continued to generate big ticket sales, while the sheer diversity of solidly performing pictures drew every segment of the populace.

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" led the record-breaking weekend, landing at No. 1 for the second weekend in a row despite plummeting 70% from its massive debut. The drop was even bigger than that of the original "Twilight" on the same weekend last year, 62%. Given the sequel's much bigger start, however, there's hardly anything for Summit Entertainment to complain about. The movie, which cost just under $50 million to make, including Canadian tax credits, is on its way to grossing more than $600 million worldwide, even if its box-office run ends quickly, as looks likely.

The No. 2 movie was also the same as last weekend's but shockingly close to no. 1. "The Blind Side" actually increased its ticket-sales revenue by 18%, coming in at a studio-estimated $40.1 million for the three-day weekend, just a bit below the $42.5 million collected by "New Moon." The inspirational drama starring Sandra Bullock appears to be expanding beyond its initial audience of adult women thanks to strong word-of-mouth.

It is on track to gross more than $200 million domestically, making it a major hit for Alcon Entertainment, which financed the picture for $35 million, as well as Warner Bros, which gets a distribution fee.

None of the weekend's new movies in wide release were hits, although they weren't total disasters. Disney's "Old Dogs" and Fox's "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" both had relatively weak starts that leave their respective studios hoping declines will be modest and that they will play through the holidays.

"Ninja Assassin," distributed by Warner Bros. for financiers Dark Castle Entertainment and Legendary Pictures, did better given its target audience of young males and relatively modest budget of less than $50 million.

Several movies already in the market held on well, most notably Disney's "A Christmas Carol," which saw ticket sales increase by 30% from last weekend.

Disney's new animated feature "The Princess and the Frog" sold out nearly all its screenings at two theaters in Los Angeles and New York while "The Road," distributed by the Weinstein Co. for 2929 Entertainment, got off to a pretty good start at 111 locations.

Overseas, "New Moon" continues to rule, collecting $85.1 million. Sony's "2012" collected a very healthy $61.6 million. "A Christmas Carol" continues to perform decently, bringing in $20.4 million. "Ninja Assassin" opened to $6 million in 10 markets, led by star Rain's home country of South Korea, where it collected a solid $3.2 million.

Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office and their three- and five-day grosses, according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com:

1. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (Summit): three-day total, $42.5 million, down 70%. Five-day, $66 million. Domestic total, $230.7 million. International total, $243 million.

2. "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros. / Alcon): three-day, $40.1 million, up 18%. Five-day, $57.5 million. Domestic total, $100.3 million.

3. "2012" (Sony): three-day total, $18 million, down 32%. Five-day, $25.6 million. Domestic total, $138.8 million. International total, $455.8 million.

4. "Old Dogs" (Disney): three-day, $16.8 million. Five-day, $24.1 million. From South Africa and Mexico this weekend, $1 million.

5. "A Christmas Carol" (Disney): three-day total, $16 million, up 30%. Five-day, $24.1 million. Domestic total, $105.4 million. Foreign total, $90.8 million.

6. "Ninja Assassin" (Warner Bros. / Dark Castle / Legendary): three-day, $13.1 million. Five-day, $21 million.

7. "Planet 51" (Sony/Ilion): three-day, $10.2 million, down 17%. Five-day, $13.9 million. Domestic total, $28.5 million.

8. "Precious" (Lionsgate): three-day, $7.1 million, down 35%. Five-day, $9.4 million. Total, $32.4 million.

9. "Fantastic Mr. Fox" (Fox): three-day, $7 million. Five-day, $9.5 million. Total, $10.1 million.

10. "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (Overture / BBC / Winchester Capital): three-day, $1.5 million, down 46%. Five-day, $2.2 million. Total, $30.6 million.

-- Ben Fritz

Photos, from top: Peter Facinelli and Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Credit: Kimberley French / Summit Entertainment.  Naomie Harris and Rain in "Ninja Assassin." Credit: David Appleby / Warner Bros. Pictures

New boss has quick makeover plan for Disney
The new boss of Walt Disney Studios is making big changes to combat industry challenges, including slumping DVD sales and the growing role the Internet plays in movie marketing.
Big-Screen Memories Of A New York Adventure

It was 1939, the year of the New York World's Fair, Germany's invasion of Poland, and the publication of Steinbeck's classic The Grapes of Wrath. It's also the year two 18-year-old girls from Denver took a train to the East Coast for an adventure that inspired a Hollywood musical.

ASIA: Artists Join Forces to Make a Difference in Mekong
PHNOM PENH, Nov 29 (IPS)Nouv Srey Leab, 24, could not quite contain her excitement about the chance to participate in the just concluded regional arts and media festival held in this capital, believing it was one welcome occasion meet fellow artists from other countries in the Mekong sub-region.

Review: A sublime, slimmed down 'Christmas Oratorio,' at Davies Symphony Hall
Ragnar Bohlin, director of the San Francisco Symphony Chorus, has taken up the challenge of slimming down J.S. Bach's great 'Christmas Oratorio,' usually a six-part musical rendering of the Nativity story. Now it's sung in English and fits into a single sublime performance of less than two hours.
Rectangles Vs. Triangles: The Great Sandwich Debate

You've got a lot of decisions to make as you build that leftover turkey sandwich. One decision you'll probably make with ease is whether to cut the sandwich into triangles or rectangles. If you go for the diagonal slice, you're in good company. Chefs, foodies, an architect and even a mathematician all told us: Diagonal rules. But why?

The Morning Fix: TV ad market heats up! Lachlan Murdoch sells stock. FCC ready for new era?

The Morning Fix: TV ad market heats up! Lachlan Murdoch sells stock. FCC ready for new era?

After the coffee. Before the rush to the mall.

Ad market picks up! Just in time for Christmas, ad spending on television is starting to heat up. Advertisers are paying more now than they were just five months ago for spots. Among the categories buying commercials are retailers and tech companies. They are picking up the slack from automakers, which are hurting, and the Hollywood studios, which have few films to hawk. The Los Angeles Times deciphers the market. Even local TV is getting a boost, albeit from an unlikely source. According to CampaignMedia Analysis Group, there are more than 70 organizations buying timeon TV stations trying to sway lawmakers in the debate over healthcare. USA Today looks at where the spending is heaviest.

Lachlan sells! Lachlan Murdoch, eldest son of Rupert Murdoch and onetime heir apparent to run News Corp., has sold about $28 million worth of stock in the company, according to the Wall Street Journal. Lachlan Murdoch, who is still on News Corp.'s board, runs an investment company in Australia called Illyria and is using the money to invest in a radio company there.

Is FCC ready for a new era? The Washington Post looks at the role the FCC will potentially play if cable giant Comcast ends up trying to take control of NBC Universal. Many of the agency's rules and the way it even views the media landscape are from an era before digital, which will present challenges if it tries to put a big stamp on the deal. 

Jay Leno starting to steady? Although he still typically finishes in fourth place in viewers and key demographics, NBC's "The Jay Leno Show" is starting to steady its ratings performance. The Hollywood Reporter looks at the numbers and whether December, when Jay will face off against a lot of reruns, could be a turning point.

If it's December, it must be time for serious movies. Snow and spending aren't the only holiday traditions; it's also when Hollywood releases its serious films in hopes of getting Oscar attention. The Wall Street Journal gives a sneak peek at what's headed to the big screen.

Inside the Los Angeles Times: Ben Fritz looks at Jay Penske's efforts to build an online media empire. The latest in General Electric's efforts to cut a deal with Vivendi. 

-- Joe Flint

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The return of benga pioneers
Even though fairly unpopular among the suave urban audiences, benga is widely recognised as KenyaÂ's most characteristic contribution to the global cultural music heritage. The genreÂ's intricate links to the development of East AfricaÂ's ethnic music remains monumental.
From luxury on the cheap to can't-fail video games
Struggling to come up with a holiday gift idea for someone on your list? Help is on the way! Nine writers on our entertainment staff come up with these suggestions, from the experiential to the novel.
WTC Provides Back Story For Colum McCann's 'Spin'

McCann's novel, Let the Great World Spin, won the National Book Award. He tells Steve Inskeep that his book — set in New York on the day a man walked on a tight-rope between the towers of the World Trade Center — is an attempt to reconstruct an event to find moments of grace and understanding in history.

Derrick AssetttoModel/Actor
My style isÂ…Casual with an African touch.How do you add the African touch?I accessorise my outfit with African beads or a bag.
Quick Bite: Southern Heritage gets the smoke right in its barbecue
Fremont restaurant serves tender meat with spicy sauce.
In N.Y. Museum, Renewable Materials On Display

Store shelves these days are packed with products claiming to be "eco-friendly." But it's hard to know exactly what that means. An exhibition in New York tackles that question with the help of 10 top designers. The Cooper Hewitt National Design Museum — together with the Nature Conservancy — asked the designers to create surprising products out of renewable materials from 10 different areas in the world.

GE chief tries to move along negotiations on sale of NBC Universal

Let's hope he didn't bring a turkey. 

Jeffrey Immelt, the chairman and chief executive of General Electric Co., paid a Thanksgiving Eve visit to the Paris headquarters of telecommunications company Vivendi -- in an effort to jump-start the stalled negotiations between the two companies, according to people familiar with the matter.

Vivendi has two weeks to decide whether it will exercise its option to sell its 20% stake in NBC Universal. GE, which owns the majority 80% stake of the media empire, would like Vivendi to hurry up and decide to exit so that GE would be free to sell control of NBC Universal to cable television giant Comcast Corp. GE cannot move forward with its deal to partner with Comcast (Comcast would own 51% of the joint venture and GE would own 49%) until Vivendi agrees to bow out.

The negotiations between GE and Vivendi hit a snag in the last few days because Vivendi has been unhappy with the amount offered by GE for Vivendi's 20% interest.

The French company believes its stake is worth more than $6 billion.  But valuations placed on NBC Universal, as part of GE's proposed deal with Comcast, would generate  significantly less money for Vivendi, according to people familiar with the talks.  The two sides have been about $500 million apart. 

If Vivendi and GE cannot agree on a price, then Vivendi could push for a public offering of its shares in NBC Universal. That has long been an option, of course.  But an IPO would be a long, drawn-out affair with an uncertain outcome -- not a prospect that GE relishes. 

The Wall Street Journal first reported Immelt's visit to Vivendi. A person familiar with the matter said it was just one stop during Immelt's trip to Europe. Still, the visit to Vivendi's Paris headquarters demonstrated Immelt's motivation to work out a deal with Vivendi so that he can finalize GE's deal with Comcast during the first two weeks of December.

-- Meg James

Photo of Jeffrey Immelt by Daniel Acker / Bloomberg

Entertainment Gift Guide: From luxury on the cheap to killer video games
Struggling to come up with a holiday gift idea for someone on your list? Help is on the way! Nine writers on our entertainment staff come up with these suggestions, from the experiential to the novel.
The 11 Best Cookbooks Of 2009

If you're the kind of person who's always believed that a book can teach you to do anything, this year's crop of cookbooks will prove you right. Cooks lacking confidence will find comfort in detailed instructions and comprehensive how-tos.

RELIGION-US: Will 'The Road' Be a Tool for Evangelism?
OAKLAND, California, Nov 25 (IPS)Two movies with doomsday scenarios highlight this year's pre-holiday releases"2012", a special effects spectacular, is based on the Mayan calendar, whose end datenot to be confused with the end of the world, most scholars agreeis Dec. 21, 2012.

The Star Report Rihanna gets sassy on 'Good Morning America'

Silver Lake serves as backdrop for new indie L.A. film

Obi-Wan Kenobi dropped in on Silver Lake this week.

Traveling far from his starring role in "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith," Scottish actor Ewan McGregor has joined Christopher Plummer and "ER" actor Goran Visnjic in a low-budget independent movie called "Beginners" that has begun filming on the streets of L.A.

In the movie, which is set in the Silver Lake area, McGregor portrays a young man whose world is shaken when his father, played by Plummer, reveals a double whammy -- that he has terminal cancer and is gay. In a far cry from his role as the heartthrob doctor in "ER," Visnjic is cast as Plummer's partner.

The $3-million film, directed and written by Mike Mills, is among about 50 projects that received approval for tax credits under the state's new film incentive program.

The city figures prominently in the film. So far, the production has shot at Griffith Park, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and on Monday will move to Highland Park to film a Halloween party scene. The crew will also spend several days downtown filming at the Biltmore Hotel.

Even the city's Silver Lake dog park will have a bit part in the movie, location manager Chris Miller said.

Despite the movie's small budget, Miller is especially grateful for the local storyline. His last job, working on the remake of the musical "Fame," ended seven months ago.

"There's so little work out there, I'm just fortunate to be working right now," he said.

-- Richard Verrier

Talking 'V' with Morena Baccarin, plus 5 clips from Tuesday's fall finale

Usually it's the aliens who say "Take me to your leader."

But on "V," the intriguing ABC series that wraps up its four-episode fall run Tuesday, it's the humans who are clamoring to meet Anna, the charismatic leader of the recently arrived aliens.

Anna (Morena Baccarin) is beautiful and well-spoken, and she's literally the face of the V invasion, which kicked off when giant ships arrived and began hovering over 29 Earth capitals.

Hoping to avert widespread panic, the visitors, or "Vs," broadcast Anna's reassuring messages from the undersides of their ships. Then they set up clinics doling out free health care and also began allowing small groups of humans on carefully orchestrated visits to the aliens' serene-seeming ships.

But have they really come to Earth to make friends, borrow some minerals and be on their merry way? What do they really want? Something in Anna's steely gaze says she knows. But all she'll say publicly is that the aliens "are of peace, always."

Hmm, that claim doesn't quite jibe with the fact that under those attractive skins, the Vs look like lizards. The few humans who know that definitely aren't buying Anna's well-orchestrated P.R. campaign.

Though it's still quite promising, "V" has not been flawless. Since its well-made pilot, it has had some pacing problems and has featured a few subplots that are downright clunky, especially the one about the teen with a crush on a blonde V. And ABC has got to start throwing some money "V's" way; though it should have an epic feel, the drama sometimes has less style and scope than a middle-tier cable drama. As they so often do, Tom and Lorenzo of "Project Rungay" said it best when they wrote that the drama "suffers terribly from a 'Canada passing for New York' aesthetic that sets our teeth on edge."

But then there's Anna, and Baccarin, a veteran of Joss Whedon's "Firefly," simply owns this role. Though "Lost's" Elizabeth Mitchell is compelling as Erica Evans, an FBI agent who is certain the Vs are up to something shady, the most consistently enjoyable part of this drama has been watching Anna play the humans' fears and sympathies like a well-tuned violin. Whether she's selecting another sleek outfit, revealing her manipulative side to a journalist or heading off a wave of bad publicity for the aliens, every one of Anna's actions is coolly calculated.

But unlike other ladies bent on world domination, who often favor frumpy pantsuits and drab officewear, Anna looks simply fabulous as she crisply executes her secretive agenda.

In a recent interview, Baccarin said that Anna's signature pixie haircut was the coiffure the actress had when she arrived for her "V" audition. The producers and Baccarin both thought the look worked for the role, so the trim, stylish cut stayed.

Baccarin has also consulted with the show's producers and costume designer, Maya Mani, about Anna's pared-down, elegant look.

"We talked about it a lot and the most important thing was that Anna look very sleek and together, but not overbearingly so," Baccarin noted. Success: Anna looks professional and slightly cutting-edge, but there's also a sensuality and a gracefulness to the expensive-looking, well-cut clothing she wears.

Fashion aside, there are bigger concerns on the actress' mind, such as what happens next between the humans and the aliens.

"I'm dying to know everything. No matter how much I ask, they won't tell me," Baccarin said. "I read the [script for the fourth] episode and I was like, 'Damn it, I have to wait?'"

Yes, she will have to wait, and so will viewers. New episodes of "V" go production in January, and the show won't return to ABC's schedule until March (when it may air alongside the final season of "Lost").

"V" has a new executive producer as well. Scott Peters, who helped conceive the remake of the 1980s series, is still working on "V," but Scott Rosenbaum, formerly of "Chuck" and "The Shield," has joined "V" as its executive producer and showrunner.

"My goal is that in every single episode, there will be an 'Oh my God, I can’t believe that happened' moment, or a 'Wow' moment," Rosenbaum recently told Sci Fi TV Zone. "And I think that would not only be a mythology plot reveal, but also a character reveal. ... I don’t want people to watch this show and ever be able to guess what’s going to happen next, because that’s the problem with some of the TV I watch."

There are some intriguing reveals in Tuesday's episode, and viewers will also see more of Anna's chillingly efficient leadership style. As for what'll happen in March? Baccarin said she can't wait to find out.

"It's really hard to get a script and see a huge plot twist and ask them, 'What does this mean? What's going to happen?' [And get told,] 'We can't really tell you that,'" she said. "It certainly makes for an interesting day at work. It's a little frustrating but it's also fun, because we're getting the information [not long before] the audience is getting it."

Additional clips from "It's Only the Beginning," Tuesday's episode of "V," are below, as well as a description released by ABC. Spoilers ahoy.

Episode description: "Erica works with newly-formed allies to uncover a biological threat they suspect the Visitors have been plotting. Aboard the Mothership, Anna meets with a special guest while managing the investigation into the murder of a V. And Chad [Scott Wolf] does a segment on the V Healing Centers, demonstrating their amazing medical abilities, but then finds himself conflicted by some of his findings."

Envoys spice up Lamu cultural festival
Nine foreign ambassadors and high commissioners were in Lamu at the weekend to show support for the conservation of the Swahili cultural heritage.
The Star Report Rihanna gets sassy on 'Good Morning America'
Meanwhile, Alicia Keys performs on "Today." Plus: Zac Efron, Natalie Portman, many more.
In 'Me And Orson,' Welles Is Quite A Character

Zac Efron is the nominal draw in Me and Orson Welles, a backstage drama set during the iconic director's 1937 production of Julius Caesar. But while Efron might bring the audiences, it's Christian McKay's turn as Orson Welles that's the real crowd-pleaser.

THAILAND: ‘Media’s Election Coverage: Numbers High, Quality Low’
BANGKOK, Nov 24 (Asia Media Forum/IPS)Elections are always a period of intense coverage by the Thai media. The sheer surfeit of stories on candidates of every political stripe and selected issues is guaranteed to raise media visibility a notch or two higher.

Make that 'New Moon' worldwide opening $274.9 million ... and counting

Summit Entertainment's estimates of how many filmgoers outside North America saw "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" was low. Way low.

As more exact information continues to roll in from overseas markets, the independent studio updated its estimate of ticket sales in the 24 countries where its blockbuster vampire movie played over the weekend.

Its new total, $132.1 million, is a full $14 million, or 12%, higher than its estimate Sunday morning of $118.1 million. Combined with the newly updated domestic total of $142.8 million, $2.1 million higher than Summit's Sunday morning estimate, it now turns out that "New Moon" opened to $274.9 million, the sixth highest worldwide bow of all time.

Because Summit doesn't have its own foreign distribution operation, it works with a variety of distributors in different countries and thus international grosses are coming in much slower than at major studios. Further updates are yet to come, just in case anyone is worried that "New Moon" didn't make enough money this weekend.

--Ben Fritz

Hot winter dates for 'Doctor Who,' 'Scrubs,' 'Vampire Diaries' & more, plus good 'Sons of Anarchy' news

I was compiling my December and January schedules for my editors and thought, why not share with the class? So a list of notable programs coming our way in the next couple of month is below.

One other task I completed on Monday: putting "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter through a 75-minute interview. The man is nothing if not stoic (and articulate too, not surprisingly). I'll have lots more on the show's brilliant second season and a transcript of my chat with Sutter on Monday, Nov. 30, but here's the best news from the interview:

"It's notofficial but of course [the show is] going to get picked up for a thirdseason," Sutter said. And he already has ideas on where to take the SAMCRO characters in Season 3.

Tuesday's episode of "Sons of Anarchy," by the way, is a terrific scene-setter for the show's Dec. 1 season finale, and fans of Sutter's previous writing gig will have reason to rejoice when they see this week's episode. "Sons" airs at 9 p.m. Central on FX.

But back to the suddenly hot winter TV schedule. This isn't a comprehensive list of every show that debuts or returns in December and January. The list generally consists of shows I think I'll try to cover in some way, shape or form, in print and/or online and/or on Twitter (though I'll be on vacation the rest of Thanksgiving week and also Dec. 21-Jan. 4).

Oh, and speaking of "Supernatural" (aren't we always?), I have updated information on when that show will return. It'll be back Jan. 21, not Jan. 14 (the CW changed its mind about when to bring back the show. A longer wait for the Winchesters? Argh!). A list of "Supernatural" December and January reruns is at the end of this post, in case you want to get caught up or re-watch Season 5 before the "Hellatus" ends. (And don't miss out on "A Very Supernatural Christmas," a classic Season 3 episode that airs Dec. 24 on the CW. Airing the episode around the holidays has become a CW tradition. You don't want to miss this standalone episode, which features holiday sweaters, a bit of the old demonic ultraviolence and one of my favorite-ever Drunk Santa scenes in any medium).

OK, selected winter premiere/return dates of note are below (and check out The Futon Critic's listings for the debut/return dates of even more TV shows):

Dec. 1: The "Sons of Anarchy" Season 2 finale airs on FX; "Scrubs" returns with a somewhat reconfigured cast and premise on ABC. Dec. 4: The "Monk" series finale airs on USA, also that network airs the last "White Collar" episode until the show's January return. Also Dec. 4, "Dollhouse" returns with a two-parter on Fox (four other episodes air Dec. 11 and Dec. 18). Dec. 6: The "Alice" miniseries starring Kathy Bates airs on Syfy Dec. 7: "Men of a Certain Age," a new show on TNT with Andre Braugher, Scott Bakula and Ray Romano. Dec. 8: The ABC cult comedy "Better Off Ted" returns. Dec. 14: Does this bite or not? Your call. The CW is rerunning every episode of "The Vampire Diaries" this week -- two episodes each night.  Dec. 19: "Doctor Who: The Waters of Mars" special airs on BBC America. Members of the media will get this in advance so that they can write reviews, however we won't be getting "The End of Time," the final David Tennant two-parter, in advance. Mysterious! Part 1 of "The End of Time" airs Dec. 26. Jan. 6: (Not a confirmed date) "Damages" returns on FX (FX has only confirmed that the show returns in January, but I'd bet on Jan. 6 as the actual start date for Season 3. But please note that date is not confirmed). Jan. 10: "Chuck" returns on NBC. Yippee.  Also, the TV movie "Battlestar Galactica: The Plan" airs on Syfy (according to the Futon Critic) and "Big Love" returns on HBO. Jan. 12: "Southland" begins its run on TNT; the TNT run will begin with the Season 1 episodes that previously aired on NBC in the spring. New episodes made for the show's second season will commence airing in a few weeks.   Jan. 13: The Death Star of TV returns: a new season of "American Idol" (starting with the inevitably pathetic auditions) begins on Fox. Jan. 14: (For "Archer," this is not a confirmed date) "Archer," a new animated comedy, on debuts on FX. Also, "Project Runway" starts a new season on Lifetime (Season 6 wasn't a hot mess, it was a boring mess. Let's hope Season 7 is a huge improvement.) Jan. 17: "Human Target," a new series starring Mark Valley, Jackie Earle Haley and Chi McBride, debuts on Fox. Also, a new season of "24" begins.  Jan. 18: The much-buzzed about new CW drama, "Life uneXpected," debuts on the CW.  Jan. 21: "Supernatural" returns. Exhale. Jan. 22: A white-hot night of TV, with the premieres of "Caprica" on Syfy and "Spartacus" on Starz. If Fox's previously announced schedule goes forward as planned, the series finale of "Dollhouse" airs on Fox as well. Jan. 28: (Not a confirmed date) "Burn Notice" may return on USA, possibly alongside "White Collar." This information is not yet confirmed. And you know I just had to include this: "Lost" returns Feb. 2. Yippee!

Ye Olde Bonus "Supernatural" info: Here is the hiatus rerun schedule. And here are all my episode reviews and features on the show.

Nov. 26: "Good God, Y'all"Dec 3: "Free to Be You and Me"Dec 10: "The End" (no repeat Dec. 17)Dec. 24: "A Very Supernatural Christmas"
Dec. 31: "Changing Channels"
Jan. 7: "The Real Ghostbusters"
Jan. 14: "Abandon All Hope"

Miss Manners: Making off with the leftovers is a no-no
DEAR MISS MANNERS: Several members of our very large family are wondering how to handle something that happens at all of our holiday gatherings.
Alan Cheuse's Book Picks To Warm A Winter's Night

Book reviewer Alan Cheuse selects the highlights of this holiday season: futuristic dystopias; things that go bump in the night; portraits from Norman Rockwell's America; gay New York; a celebration of our immigrant adventures; one writer's journey to manhood; and, of course, Long John Silver.

'New Moon' drives second-biggest weekend ever for movie industry

'New Moon' drives second-biggest weekend ever for movie industry

Summit Entertainment had the kind of opening studio executives dream about this weekend, but it's hard to find anyone in the movie business who's not smiling.

Although Summit's "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" opened to a massive $140.7 million in the U.S. and Canada, according to studio estimates, it wasn't the only film to perform well. "The Blind Side," which Warner Bros. distributed for financier Alcon Entertainment, opened to $34.5 million, very strong for a modestly budgeted drama. Festival and critics' favorite "Precious" more than tripled its theater count and kept up its winning ways, grossing $11 million at 629 locations.

With one huge hit, numerous strong performers and no real flops, total box-office receipts expanded to nearly $260 million, according to several studio executives and Hollywood.com. That's the second-biggest nonholiday weekend ever, behind only the one in July 2008 when "The Dark Knight" launched and movie theaters collected just over $260 million.

"It's a really good sign for the industry," said Dan Fellman, president of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. "It just goes to show you that good movies can expand the marketplace."

Several movies are well positioned to keep playing strongly throughout the holidays, most notably "The Blind Side," which garnered an average grade of A-plus from moviegoers, according to market research firm CinemaScore. It's only the second film this year to get a perfect grade, along with "Up." It could easily collect more than $150 million by the end of the year, making it very profitable for Alcon and Warner Bros., which receives a distribution fee.

"New Moon" is sure to drop significantly after its massive debut. The first "Twilight" fell 62% from its opening on Thanksgiving weekend and the sequel will probably do the same. Nonetheless, if it follows the path of its predecessor, "New Moon" will end up grossing more than $300 million domestically and the same amount overseas, making it one of the most profitable pictures of the year. Summit spent only $50 million to produce its second teen vampire flick based on the bestselling novels.

Overseas, "2012" continues to perform extremely well. It grossed $100.5 million overseas, down 37% from its international debut last weekend. That was helped by a huge $7-million launch in Japan, the biggest for any nonlocal movie this year. Domestically, "2012" dropped 59%. The worldwide total gross for Sony's disaster flick from director Roland Emmerich, which cost $200 million to produce, is a very strong $449.8 million.

Two films performed extremely well in limited release in the U.S. and Canada. Sony Pictures Classics opened the Pedro Almodovar picture "Broken Embraces," starring Penelope Cruz, to $107,597 at just two theaters. On its second weekend, Fox's stop-motion animated picture "Fantastic Mr. Fox" collected $199,200 from four theaters, down just 25%. It starts playing nationwide Wednesday.

First Look Pictures opened the new Nicolas Cage crime drama "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans," directed by Werner Herzog, to a so-so $257,267 at 27 locations.

Here are the top 10 movies at the domestic box office, according to studio estimates and Hollywood.com:

1. "The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (Summit): Opened to $140.7 million domestically and $118.1 million overseas.

2. "The Blind Side" (Warner Bros./Alcon): Debuted to a very healthy $34.5 million.

3. "2012" (Sony): Fell 59% on its second weekend to $26.5 million. Overseas it grossed $100.5 million, down 37%. Total domestic ticket sales are $108.2 million. Total foreign ticket sales are $341.1 million.

4. "Planet 51" (Sony/Ilion): The animated family film opened to a decent $12.6 million.

5. "A Christmas Carol" (Disney): Fell 45% on its third weekend, a much bigger drop than its second weekend, to $12.2 million. Domestic total: $79.8 million.

6. "Precious" (Lionsgate): $11 million on its third weekend as it expanded to 629 theaters. Domestic total: $21.4 million.

7. "The Men Who Stare at Goats" (Overture/BBC/Winchester Capital): $2.8 million, down 53% on its third weekend. $27.6 million domestic total so far.

8. "Couples Retreat" (Universal/Relativity): Fell 53% on its seventh weekend to $2 million. Domestic total is now $105 million. Foreign total: $37.7 million.

9. "The Fourth Kind" (Universal/Gold Circle): Down 62% on its third weekend to $1.7 million. $23.3 million domestic total.

10. "Law Abiding Citizen" (Overture/Film Department): Declined 57% to $1.6 million on its sixth weekend, bringing its U.S. and Canadian total to $70 million.

-- Ben Fritz

Top photo: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner in "The Twilight Saga: New Moon." Credit: Kimberley French / Summit Entertainment.

Bottom photo: Penelope Cruz and Lluis Homar in "Broken Embraces." Credit: Emilio Pereda / Paola Ardizzoni / Sony Pictures Classics.

Bay Area holiday entertainment guide
It's no bah-humbug that the Bay Area is a bastion of holiday arts and entertainment from the classical to the kitschy. Here are highlights from the upcoming season.

  Ballet San Jose's 'Nutcracker' | 'A Civil War Christmas'

Berry Bad: Threat To Trees Lurks On Holiday Tables

Its alluring crimson fruit makes it an enduring star of the Thanksgiving centerpiece, but Asiatic bittersweet is strangling trees across New England. In many states, it's illegal to collect or move the invasive vine.

Comcast's plan to take control of NBC Universal encounters roadblock

Comcast's plan to take control of NBC Universal encounters roadblock

Comcast Corp.’s plan to take control of NBC Universal has encountered a roadblock.

The Philadelphia-based cable operator, which had hoped to have a deal announced this week to acquire a 51% stake in the entertainment giant, is being held up as NBC Universal owners spar over the value of the company, according to people close to the negotiations.

General Electric Co., which owns 80% of the television and movie company, and French telecommunications firm Vivendi, which owns 20%, have been negotiating for several weeks over the value of the minority stake. GE needs to reach an agreement with Vivendi before it can sell majority control to Comcast.

But Vivendi and GE are still at least $500 million apart in agreeing on a value for the French company’s stake, according to two people with knowledge of the talks who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are meant to be private. A third person estimated that the two parties could be as far as $900 million apart.

GE has placed a value on NBC Universal of $27 billion to $30 billion, said people familiar with the negotiations. At the lower end, that would mean the value of Vivendi’s stake was about $5.4 billion.

However, Vivendi determined earlier this year that its 20% stake was worth substantially more -- $6.2 billion, according to the company’s filings.

At an investor conference Thursday in Barcelona, Philippe Capron, Vivendi’s chief financial officer, said GE’s negotiations with Comcast complicated the picture.

"This year the situation is a bit more complex," Capron said, according to Bloomberg News. "We are not forced to do anything. We could just also say no.”

Analysts think such an outcome is unlikely. But negotiations could drag on until Dec. 10, when Vivendi's window to exercise its option to sell its stake officially closes. After that time, Vivendi wouldn’t have the oportunity to sell, perhaps even through an public offering, for another year.

Vivendi declined to comment, and a GE spokeswoman was unavailable Friday.

Analysts and some NBC Universal insiders believe that a deal is within reach but that both GE and Vivendi are seeking to maximize their leverage, delaying the completion of the Comcast deal. GE plans to sell much of its stake to Comcast, which would control 51% of the new entity. GE would have the remaining 49%.

GE’s partnership with Vivendi dates back to 2004, when the industrial giant acquired Vivendi’s profitable entertainment assets -- which included Universal Studios, Universal Pictures and cable channels USA Network and SyFy -- in an effort to strengthen NBC’s portfolio and diversify its revenue. At the time, Vivendi received $3.4 billion in cash and the 20% stake in NBC Universal.

The assets that Vivendi contributed to the venture have turned out to be the most profitable -- particularly the cable channels USA and Syfy. And that fact is not lost on Vivendi.

-- Meg James

Review: World-famous Berliners brilliantly reflect the best efforts of Simon Rattle
Friday night, at Davies Symphony Hall, The Berliners and Simon Rattle put on another world-class display of orchestral magicand yet something new as well. They eschewed the vice grip. They capped the storm. They put a different skill-set on display.

SAG's Pamm Fair resigning

SAG's Pamm Fair resigning

Pamm Fair, deputy national executive director of the Screen Actors Guild, is resigning.

Fair, who heads SAG's legislative affairs and communications divisions, will step down by the end of the year, a person close to SAG said.

SAG officials declined to comment on the reason for Fair's resignation.  Fair was among the guild's highest paid staffers and saw her responsibilities grow during the controversial tenure of Doug Allen, the union's former executive director, who was fired by the SAG board earlier this year over his handling of a protracted contract standoff with the studios.

Fair declined to comment.

Update (1 p.m.): In a statement, the Screen Actors Guild ExecutiveDirector David White credited Fair for her efforts to redefine theguild's new media initiatives, organizing efforts and legislativeadvocacy on key guild issues. "Her contributions to the guild have beenvaried and significant and I thank her for her dedicated service. Iknow I speak for all of us in wishing her continued success," Whitestated.

--Richard Verrier

The family business: Let's talk about 'Supernatural's' 'Abandon All Hope...'

Let's discuss Thursday's "Supernatural" episode, "Abandon All Hope," below.

Well, "Supernatural" sure has created one high-class problem for itself.

The question is, when the bar is set so high by episodes like "Abandon All Hope…," it sure makes things more difficult for the "haunted wax museum" outings.

I had a couple of quibbles with "Abandon All Hope…" -- mostly of the "why doesn't Lucifer just go ahead and smite Dean already" variety -- but by and large, this episode was terrific. It supplied a lot of the mythology goodness that I'd wanted, but it did so in a way that was driven by the characters and their relationships. It's that kind of thing that elevates an episode into the top tier of "Supernatural" outings.

"AAH" wasn't just good because it introduced a cool new character, Crowley (the ubiquitous Mark Sheppard), because it amped up the mythology by teasing the arrival of a new character, Death, because it gave us some quality Castiel-Lucifer time and the return of the sassy New!Meg and because it threw in some heart-pounding action amid a well-orchestrated hunters' reunion. Don't get me wrong -- all of that was quite pleasing.

But what surprised me about "Abandon All Hope…" was how emotionally affecting it was. That's one of the big things that attracted me to "Supernatural" in the first place. As I said in my write-up of Season 1, it's a show about feelings. The characters don't wear their hearts on their sleeves -- actually, the fact that they're so guarded about their true emotions makes it that much more effective when we see them face loss, grief and pain.

Ben Edlund had been known as the guy who writes the "funny" episodes of "Supernatural," and there's no denying that he's great at that. But it's clear by now that he's very skilled at writing mega-mythology episodes that skillfully delve into the characters' emotional lives and personal baggage. "Abandon All Hope..." wasn't just on par with Season 4's "On the Head of a Pin," it was, along with the Season 5 premiere, my favorite episode of the season so far.

I don't know about you, but I got a lump in my throat when it was clear that Jo wouldn't make it. Much of "Abandon All Hope…" had the feel of a classic World War 2 movie, in which a motley collection of guys form a team and take on a suicidal mission. And the mortally wounded person who stays behind to commit suicide but, in doing so, helps the rest of the team escape is a story line we've all seen on TV and in films forever.

But there's a reason that's a classic move (remember the great scene in "Aliens" when a very similar sequence played out?). The "You guys go ahead without me, Sarge" scenario is a classic because, when it's executed well with a character who has earned our sympathy, it can make for an incredibly poignant, noble moment.

We always knew that Alona Tal and Samantha Ferris were extremely capable actors, and they brought their A-game to "Abandon All Hope…". These women fit perfectly into the "Supernatural" world because they understand that on this show, restraint is everything. It's not necessarily just about what the characters say or do, it's about what they don't say -- what they can't find the words for.

What a brilliant choice it was to have those final moments between Dean and Jo be silent. We knew everything they felt -- that Dean's attraction to Jo and her amused and affectionate attitude toward him had been transformed into something else. It wasn't necessarily romantic love that they felt -- it was just love, and the heartbreak that comes from understanding how much someone means to you in the moment in which you realize you're going to lose them forever.

And in that final, silent scene between Bobby and the boys -- again, nothing could be said. It's a hallmark of my favorite shows that they trust their characters and their audience enough to let silence say everything. Good writers know when to step back and let the emotions breathe. There have been scenes on "Friday Night Lights" and "The Shield" when nothing needed to be said, because the actors and the moment and the world that had been created over several seasons -- all that was enough. After five seasons of "Supernatural," we knew what these people were feeling.

And thus the problem of Season 5 -- from a mythology standpoint, from an emotional standpoint, from an acting standpoint, "Abandon All Hope…" was a definite high. How do you make the rest of the season match that on some level? I've written about those issues a lot recently, so I'm not going to rehash them, but I think it's an interesting if not ferociously difficult challenge that the writers have constructed for themselves.

I don't doubt that the standalones potentially can be well-executed week in and week out, but they have to be as inventive and meaty as "Changing Channels," "Good God, Y'all!," "The Curious Case of Dean Winchester" or "The End" if they're going to be able to hang with intensely satisfactory mythology episodes such as "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Abandon All Hope…" The Apocalypse has raised the stakes this season, and the kind of decent/middling in-between episodes that used to pass muster just aren't going to cut it when the Devil's walking Earth and when the show has given us emotional epics such as "AAH."

Do I expect "AAH" every week? Hell no. But Season 4 had a coherence and an overall progression that was built on and added to in every episode. I will be curious to see if that kind of narrative drive can be sustained in the second half of Season 5 and if the characters will get the kind of emotional journeys that will match the compelling material we've seen at other points in the show's history.

Getting back to the nittty-gritty of "AAH," though, here's a question: Why doesn't Lucifer just smite Dean? The small grin on Lucifer's face when Castiel rescued the Winchsters would seem to indicate that Lucifer knew the Winchesters would get away and that their escape was all part of his cunning (and/or devilish) plan, but come on. We know he wants to keep Sam safe so that Sam can be his vessel but why let Dean get away without a little smite-age? Wouldn't it make sense for Lucifer to use his immense powers to kill the guy who could become Michael's vessel (not to mention the "bag of pus" who just shot him in the head)? It doesn't make logical sense to me that Lucifer would let Dean just wander around. Unless it's part of his plan to manipulate Sam into becoming his vessel by putting Dean in peril. Dun-dun-dun! 

And speaking of questions raised by "AAH" -- so Castiel has the juice to teleport himself and the Winchesters away, but he doesn't have enough juice to take down Meg? That's just barely plausible, but I'll let that go this time (perhaps as an old and particularly malevolent demon, Meg is just harder to kill than garden variety demons). I do like Rachel Miner's take on the character, so it's OK by me that we'll probably see her again, and it was kind of awesome that Cas used Meg to get out of the burning Ring of Fire. I loved that moment of, "You think you've got me, demon-vixen? Oh snap!"

But if we're talking about things that were on the verge of not working, I think Lucifer's speech to Sam certainly existed in the neighborhood of that fine line. There are two problems with Lucifer comparing his plight to that of Sam Winchester. First of all, we get it. Gabriel talked about the parallels, the show has frequently drawn the parallels, we get that there are parallels. If "Supernatural" keeps hitting this note quite hard it might become a bit of a bore.

More importantly, I think the handling of the brothers' storyline this season leads to a situation where the comparisons between Lucifer and Michael and Sam and Dean have a lot less impact. As I've written in other Season 5 episode reviews, I haven't been all that pleased with the fact that, fairly early in the season, the brothers simply apologized to each other and moved on (and I characterize this premature resolution as "Mistakes Were Made, We're Mostly Good Now," or MWMWMGN).

Please, for the love of the Colt, don't fill up the comment area with examples of how Sam and Dean have referred to their brotherly conflicts and how the show has tried to make little nods to what went down between them last season (or even this season, when they split up for all of one episode). In my view, the show spent four seasons (and obviously much of Season 4) depicting two brothers who had grown apart and grown quite disenchanted with each other, despite their strong underlying loyalty and their unbreakable family bond. Then, a few episodes into Season 5 -- MWMWMGN.

I think there's some truth to what Jim Beaver said in this recent interview -- that with so many other things to deal with and the Apocalypse a-brewing, the Winchesters can't exactly be in full-on brother-vs-brother mode during Season 5. That stuff perhaps just goes to the back burner. I understand that point of view, and it makes sense. 

But to me, the show has gone too far in the direction of MWMWMGN. You can't unring that bell, as they say on the legal procedurals. So Ole Scratch trying to create a bond with Sam by talking about how they're both misunderstood, mistreated younger brothers -- I don't know that I'm buying what he's selling. Not just because Lucifer is a born manipulator, but because the show itself has, for the most part, taken that "but my brother just doesn't get me" theme off the table.

Having said all that, Mark Pellegrino is a wonderful actor and I love how he can even make the Devil funny and smart even as he makes him seem soulful and pained. So watching his scenes is always a good time, and Misha Collins also did excellent work in his scene with Lucifer. You could see tiny moments of doubt in his eyes as some part of his brain said, "Wait, this Lucifer guy is making way too much sense!"

That's the thing about the Devil -- everything he says sounds perfectly reasonable. Heck, he even admits that what he's telling Cas to do perfectly dovetails with the Devil's own goals. This Lucifer we're seeing seems, in so many ways, to be a very upfront, very honest guy. But something about his soulful honesty also seems deeply untrustworthy. Thank God the show got an actor who can play the Devil with all those kinds of layers.

Pellegrino also played the Castiel scene with another delicious flavor: I got the sense that Lucifer only vaguely recalled who Castiel was. In that scene, it was like a big shot at a corporation suddenly realizing that a very junior executive -- a guy whose name he barely remembers -- has something that the big shot wants, and hence the big shot has to suddenly pretend that he's really interested in the junior executive and sure, of course, the big shot totally knows who junior exec guy is! "Oh, sure, Castiel, I remember you from the company golf outing! We had some laughs! You're awesome!" When in actual fact, Castiel is kind of lower-level angel that a big cheese such as Lucifer would have blithely ignored if he could have gotten away with it.

But we get our first glimpses in "Abandon All Hope…" that Lucifer is exactly as calculating and false as Crowley says he is. Not that Crowley himself is a beacon of truth -- demons are out for themselves, and he's no exception -- but it's clear that Crowley's spidey senses are tingling for a reason. Lucifer really has no use for anyone but himself -- demons, humans, angels can all go straight to Hell. Job security in the demon world is at an all-time low, and surely there are other demons who have figured out that the severance package will indeed involve severance -- of their heads.

It'll be interesting to see how Lucifer's relationship with the Four Horsemen plays out. I wonder if Lucifer and the Horsemen are the only creatures who can't be killed by the Colt. It'd make sense. And it'd be interesting if the Horsemen have a different agenda that Lucifer. He may want Total Worldwide Destruction, but the Horsemen may be troublesome underlings who want to enjoy the Pandemonium Party for as long as inhumanly possible. Lucifer, like Zachariah, may find that managing underlings is not always as easy and straightforward as you want it to be. "They're just demons," Lucifer sighed at one point.

Yes, but those demons might have a few tricks up their sleeves. Wouldn't it be interesting if the Winchesters -- yes, both Dean and Sam -- have to ally themselves at some point with the Crowleys of the world? Sometimes the enemy of your enemy is indeed your friend.

I do hope the show goes in that kind of direction in the second half of the season. Because "Supernatural" is at its best when it's exploring the nature and meaning of loyalty, duty and family. When those things get complicated and twisty, things tend to get quite interesting. Let's hope the tagline of Season 5 ends up being: "Come for the Apocalypse! Stay for the feelings."

A few stray observations:

A bit of housekeeping: My report on a recent "Supernatural" fan convention is here; that post contains interviews with Misha Collins and Jim Beaver. All my other "Supernatural" reviews and stories are here. Crowley's interactions with the Winchesters were pretty great, and Sheppard killed in the role, of course. My favorite Crowley lines: "I'm in sales, damn it!" "How about you don't miss, OK?! Morons!"I absolutely loved Dean trying out his smooth moves -- again -- on Jo. She thinks his moves are not smooth and she completely sees through his attempts to hit on her. I think that's why he likes her so much -- and fears her too. Yet her affection for him -- and him for her -- is no less real. These are people who see beyond each others' tough facades and truly enjoy each other's company -- and these actors just have killer chemistry. The way Jo almost kissed Dean and then walked off was beautifully played by Tal and Jensen Ackles. I'll miss seeing those two interact. Damn you, Kripke, for killing off characters I like! First Ash, now this!
Kudos to director Phil Sgriccia, who got the eerieness of the reaper-filled town exactly right, and who shot the sequence with the hell-hounds with wonderful intensity (and kudos to the editor who worked on this episode. Editors don't often get much love, but the sequence of the hunters fleeing the dogs and then locking themselves in the hardware store was extremely effective.)Among the many great emotional moments in the episode was the scene in which Bobby talks to Dean over the short-wave radio. Bobby is trying to make sure that Dean doesn't lose it, not because he wants Dean to stifle his emotions forever, but because Bobby knows that the boys can't waver now -- their lives are in great danger. But you got the sense, thanks to Jim Beaver's subtle work, that Bobby was trying just as hard not to lose it himself. It's a testament to the relationships that have been built up on the show that the actors don't have to be in the same room together to create a really effective scene. I have to think that Ellen saying "Kick it in the ass" was a tribute to the late "Supernatural" director Kim Manners, who used to say that on set, according to various accounts. If so, that was very nicely done. When Dean says to Jo, "See you on the other side," that had to be a shoutout to a similarly tender scene in the series finale of "Battlestar Galactica." If so, very nicely done. Cas doing shots with Ellen. Come on, that's awesome. The family business, eh? "You're right, this is important. But I will not leave you here alone." Thank you, Samantha Ferris. I'll miss Ellen. Now for the rules of commenting on this site. If you think these rules don't apply to you, I'm sorry to let you know that you're wrong. If you can't follow the common-sense guidelines that follow, I'll ban you from commenting on this site without warning.
On this site, we observe the Lurkers Rule: The environment here should be so accepting, so calm and so non-screechy that most timid lurker should feel it's safe to comment. I simply won't let angry, vicious, annoying or repetitive people hijack the comment areas. So, be nice. To further quote from Alan Sepinwall's Rules for Commenting: "This is an opinion blog, and a place where people can and should argue passionately for their point of view. But there's a difference between arguing with passion and arguing with hostility. If you can't find a way to express your viewpoint without insulting other commenters, or getting strident and self-righteous -- say, equating your opinion with fact, and deriding other people for not seeing the truth of your words -- then either tone down your words until they're more respectful to other people, or don't comment."  Absolutely no Samgirl-Deangirl fangirl nonsense. It's possible to critique individual episodes or indeed the creative direction of the show in an intelligent fashion without becoming hysterical about how the writers have ruined Sam, Dean, the show and/or Western Civilization. No comments over 500 words. I am serious about this. Watch your word count. Please, please don't mention any spoilers of any kind. Speculation is fine, actual spoilers are not.If you see typos, please point them out (nicely, if possible!). I'll fix them as soon as I can. Thanks. There may be a delay between when you submit your comment and when it gets posted. All comments are reviewed before they are posted. No profanity. I'll make an exception this time for references to Kim Manners and kicking things in the ass.

Barney: Oprah's departure -- what does it mean?
Today, Oprah Winfrey announced that she is ending her daytime talk show because "it's time to leave." The earth continues to shudder.
Real-Life Physics Problems Star On TV

The stars of The Big Bang Theory are two fictional Caltech physicists, but the physics problems they study are real. Bill Prady, the program's co-creator and executive producer, talks about including real-world science in the script, from dark matter to magnetic monopoles.

'Oprah Winfrey Show' To Go Off The Air In 2011

Oprah Winfrey to quit daytime talk show in 2011 to focus on new cable network

Oprah Winfrey is taking her act to cable.

The talk show diva who has ruled daytime TV for almost a quarter of a century is pulling the plug when her current deal expires in the fall of 2011. She will likely resurface on OWN, the cable network she is starting with Discovery Communications.

The move was not entirely unexpected. Once Winfrey agreed to partner with Discovery on the Oprah Winfrey Network, there was a general assumption that she would ultimately focus all her creative efforts there. OWN, which was originally supposed to launch this year, is now looking to debut in January 2011.

Winfrey will have an on-air presence on OWN as well as behind the scenes. While OWN is keeping mum, Winfrey is expected to have a daily show, although the approach will probably be different than her current studio audience-and-guest format. OWN declined to comment.

Winfrey made her national debut in 1986 when Phil Donahue was still ruling talk. It didn't take her long to drive him off the airwaves. Over the course of her show's run it has veered from classy and educational to tabloid and sleazy. She spawned a host of imitators and clones ranging from Jerry Springer to Ellen DeGeneres. Daytime television was a sleepy business that Winfrey revolutionized. Her syndicated show generated hundreds of millions of dollars a year in revenue.

-- Joe Flint
Awesome news: 'Chuck' sets January return date, plus an update from co-creator Chris Fedak

On the day we got the "Lost" season premiere date, we also find out that "Chuck" is returning in January.

The spy dramedy returns 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Jan. 10, with two episodes. The show begins occupying its regular time slot, Mondays at 8 p.m. ET, on Jan. 11. (My previous stories on "Chuck" are here.)

This is great news, given that NBC had been thinking about keeping the show on hold until March. Knowing that "Chuck" returns in January and "Lost" returns Feb. 2 -- well, is it me or is this winter heating up quite a bit?

According to co-creator Chris Fedak, production is underway on the 10th episode of "Chuck's" third season. He also said that the first 13 episodes of Season 3 will function as one unit, and then the set of six additional episodes that NBC ordered will sort of be like another mini-season.

"We broke a very tight 13 episodes" after NBC ordered a third season, Fedak said. "But we had started production early, so [when NBC ordered six more episodes for a total of 19,] we had lead time to kind of sit back and think about what the next phase of the story would be. We're very excited about extending the season out and having more fun with our characters and deepening the world that is 'Chuck.'"

The first two episodes of Season 3, which air together Jan. 10, aren't necessarily a two-parter, Fedak said. "But this season we tell a very big, tight story and they're very much linked by being the first two chapters of that story," Fedak said.

In interviews conducted earlier this year (at Comic-Con and on the show's set in August), Schwartz and Fedak discussed the spy skills that Chuck Bartowski (Zachary Levi) downladed in the show's Season 2 finale and how they would impact the Buy More clerk.

"Will part of Season 3 be Chuck attempting not to kill himself and everyone around him as he deploys these skills," I asked on Thursday.

"That's a good way to describe it," Fedak answered. Regarding Chuck's new skills, "we've added a new flavor to the show, but it's still very much the 'Chuck' show. It's always going to be a show with a sense of humor."

What's been satisfying to Fedak this season is the ability to flesh out the world of Chuck Bartowski, who works at the Buy More electronics store with a motley collection of co-workers when he's not out saving the world with his spy handlers, Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski) and John Casey (Adam Baldwin).

"With these [first] 13, we've spent more time not just with Chuck and Sarah and Casey but with Morgan and Ellie and Awesome. One of the places we surprise ourselves as writers is when we see how those people react to things and see what's happening in their worlds," Fedak said.

Levi just finished directing the ninth episode of the season, and I asked Fedak if entrusting the show to the actor made him nervous at all, especially given that Episode 9 is, in Fedak's own words, "hugely important to the mythology of the show."

"He did a wonderful job," Fedak said. "Directing 'Chuck' is really difficult -- the directors have to be proficient not only with the comedy but with the acting, and those are the two most time-consuming things. Our directors are really running a marathon for those seven or eight days that we're in production. So when the person who's at the center of the show on a regular basis -- Zachary -- is directing, it was, 'Can he physically do that without somehow splitting himself and genetically producing another Zachary Levi?' But he did it with such smarts and such energy."

One small thing that brought Fedak some satisfaction: After three seasons of trying, he finally got a "Planet of the Apes" reference into the show, in Episode 10 of Season 3.

A couple of last tidbits from Fedak: There will be Subway "product integration" in Season 3 but it won't necessarily be in every episode.

And this: "Jeffster! will return," he said.

Some news from NBC's press release: Guest stars in the new season include Angie Harmon, Brandon Routh, Robert Patrick, Kristin Kreuk, Armande Assante, Steve Austin and Vinnie Jones.

An NBC source says the show will keep airing during the Olympics and won't take a break in order to avoid airing during that time frame. And the good news is that NBC has ordered at total of 19 "Chuck" episodes at this point, so we may be hanging with the Buy More crew for quite some time come 2010. 

If you're not caught up on this show, there's still time. Episodes are available online, and the Season 2 box set comes out Jan. 5, according to TVShowsonDVD.com.

NBC's press release on this delightful show's return is below. 

'CHUCK' RETURNS TO NBC ON SUNDAY, JANUARY 10 WITH ALL-NEW MISSIONS AND ACTION-PACKED BACK-TO-BACK PREMIERE EPISODES BEFORE MOVING TO REGULAR DAY AND TIME (MONDAYS, 8-9 P.M. ET) BEGINNING JANUARY 11

'CHUCK' GUEST STARS INCLUDE ANGIE HARMON, BRANDON ROUTH, ROBERT PATRICK, KRISTIN KREUK, ARMAND ASSANTE, STEVE AUSTIN AND VINNIE JONES

In Addition, Special Two-hour Episode of "Heroes" to Be Broadcast on Monday, January 4 (8-10 p.m. ET) Before Series Moves to Its New Time Slot of Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) Starting January 11  

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. â€" November 19, 2009 â€" NBC’s action-comedy series “Chuck” returns to the NBC lineup on Sunday, January 10 with all-new missions and two action-packed, back-to-back original episodes in its season premiere (9-11 p.m. ET) before the series -- starring Zachary Levi in the title role -- moves to its regular day and time (Mondays 8-9 p.m.  ET) beginning January 11. 

In addition, "Chuck" returns with guest stars galore in its third season.  These include: Angie Harmon (NBC’s “Law & Order”), who will play Sydney, an enemy operative; Brandon Routh (“Superman Returns”), who is set to play CIA Agent Daniel Shaw; Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) will play Colonel Keller, a soldier and spy from Casey’s past; Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville”), who will portray Hannah -- a potential love interest for Chuck; Armand Assante (“Judge Dredd”) as dictator Premier Goya, who is the target of an assassin; Steve Austin (“WWE Smackdown!”) will portray Hugo Panzer, who becomes entangled in Chuck’s first solo mission; and Vinnie Jones (“Snatch”) will play Carl Stromberg, an arms dealer.

In other programming news, a special two-hour episode of "Heroes" will be broadcast on Monday, January 4 (8-10 p.m. ET) and then the series moves to its new time slot of Mondays (9-10 p.m. ET) starting January 11. 

“Josh (Schwartz) and Chris (Fedak) and the writing team are doing a great job this season, and we think the loyal fan base for this show will be happy to see it back on the NBC schedule,” said Angela Bromstad, President, Primetime Entertainment, NBC and Universal Media Studios. 

In “Chuck,” the world's nerdiest secret agent is back in the one-hour action-comedy series.  Chuck Bartowski (Levi, "Less Than Perfect") continues as the Buy More electronics store computer geek, who unwittingly becomes the government’s most vital secret agent.  Chuck is transformed into the Intersect 2.0 after another data download into his brain.  This time, he not only knows government secrets, but he is also well equipped with deadly fight skills.  Chuck has the potential to become a real agent, but he has one problem -- his emotions.  Now he faces the battle of keeping his emotions in check in order to protect himself and the people around him.  

The ever stoic Colonel John Casey (Adam Baldwin, "My Bodyguard") returns with partner Sarah Walker (Yvonne Strahovski, "Gone"), one of the CIA's top agents and Chuck's dream girl.  As Chuck assumes his new role as the Intersect 2.0, Casey and Sarah need to protect him but also help him become the agent he is destined to be. 

Also starring are: Joshua Gomez ("Without a Trace") as Morgan Grimes -- Chuck's best buddy; Sarah Lancaster ("What About Brian?") as Chuck's ever-supportive sister Ellie; Ryan McPartlin ("Living with Fran") as Devon Woodcomb (also known as "Captain Awesome”), Ellie's husband.  Chuck's Buy More team consists of Big Mike (Mark Christopher Lawrence, "The Pursuit of Happyness") and the Nerd Herd, which includes Lester (Vik Sahay, "Time Bomb") and Jeff (Scott Krinsky, "The O.C.").
 
Fans of "Chuck" can catch up on full episodes from the series' recent second season, watch original web series and share with fans on the official "Chuck" website on NBC.com.

“Chuck” is co-created and written by Josh Schwartz (“The O.C., “Gossip Girl”) and Chris Fedak, and is executive-produced by Schwartz, McG ("Charlie's Angels," "We Are Marshall"), Fedak, Allison Adler and Matthew Miller.  “Chuck” is produced by College Hill Pictures, Wonderland Sound and Vision, in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Hey, hayterz n haymakers
ChiquittaÂ's ole man passed on this week, so I wancha all to keep the darlinÂ' lasski in ya hearts, this week. She waz also a lil chicken lasÂ' week wen she wrote this luvly Â'Gal in the HoodÂ' abt all the local celebz who are Â'keepin it real,Â' n I went, aye, watt about all the stars who ainÂ't keepinÂ' it effinÂ' real, how are Pulse readers gonna knw about these screw-ballz?
Oprah Winfrey to end show in 2011
CHICAGO — Oprah Winfrey's production company says Winfrey will announce Friday that her talk show will end in 2011 after its 25th season on the air.
'Oprah Winfrey Show' To Go Off The Air In 2011

The talk-show icon will call it a wrap after 25 seasons, her production company said. A formal announcement is expected on Friday's edition of The Oprah Winfrey Show.

DirecTV picks beverage and cosmetics executive as its new chief

DirecTV, the nation's largest satellite television provider, has named Pepsico International chief executive Michael White, who also serves as vice chairman of the beverage giant, to its top job. He replaces former chief executive Chase Carey, who was named chief operating officer of News Corp. in July.

White has no experience in the television or satellite industries. He worked at Pepsico for 18 years, rising from vice president of planning for subsidiary Frito-Lay North America to his most recent post. Prior to that he worked for cosmetics company Avon Products Inc. and consultancies Bain & Co. and Anderson & Co.

White, who starts his job Jan. 1, will report to DirecTV chairman John Malone, whose Liberty Media took a controlling stake in the satellite broadcaster as part of a deal with News Corp. completed last year.

-- Ben Fritz

Worth sticking with? Another look at 'Modern Family,' 'FlashForward,' 'Community' and other new(ish) shows
I've devoted a lot of thought lately to how long to stick with at TV show.

Quite often I hear from readers, commenters on this site or Twitter followers that I should have given a particular show "more of a chance." But what's a fair chance? Chances are, we all define that differently.

There are times when I know that I'll probably only watch a given show one time (hello "Hank," which has unsurprisingly been canceled). There are other times when I'll watch six or eight episodes before deciding that a given show might not be for me. I think a person giving a television program five or six or eight hours of his or her life is a great gift. And if a show hasn't hooked me by that point, there's a pretty good chance it never will.

But there are no hard and fast rules. After giving "Chuck" many chances in its first season, it well and truly hooked me in its second. As for reviews of new programs, if a network sends four episodes before a show premieres, I'll watch all of them. If I only get one, I have to base my review on that. If I've given a new show a fairly positive review or I think it has potential, I'll try to watch it again after my review is posted.

And even for veteran shows, nothing is set in stone. I sometimes stick with a show for years before I find myself letting it stack up, unwatched, on my DVR.

For instance, I watched -- and frequently enjoyed -- "House" for several seasons, but at least a season or two ago, I began to feel uneasy about the overall direction of the show. What the writers wanted to do and what I enjoyed about the show -- well, those two things diverged.

I don't rule out ever watching it again, but the second episode of the current season gave pride of place to many things that I don't like about the present era of "House." And my reaction was, "I just don't want to resent this show any more. The writers want to go in a different direction, and that's their right. But I'm not going to sit on the couch and snipe at it any more. I have too much fondness for the show's great moments."

So "House" and I parted ways. I may watch it again -- Hugh Laurie is still wonderful and I may someday need a fix of House's banter with Wilson -- but the show is no longer a must-see for me.

Similarly, I will probably check out "Project Runway" when it returns next year, but I stopped watching mid-way though the current season due to the maddeningly inconsistent judging and the blah designers and designs. I think Choire Sicha summed up the show's current problems well Twitter. (And by the way, Lifetime did not do itself any favors by scheduling the show on the already-crowded Thursday night.)

As for newer shows, I try, where possible, to give shows that had uneven but promising first seasons another chance when they return with their second seasons. It can take a show six or 10 or 12 episodes to really find itself -- that's not uncommon. As for first-season shows I didn't think were that great, if I've only seen a few episodes but keep hearing from readers, commenters, Twitter folks and other TV writers that the show has had a quality surge, I'll try to revisit it.

Given the number of DVDs of new shows, documentaries and reality shows I get in the mail, not to mention the number of existing TV shows on TV, it's just not possible to consistently watch or even give a cursory look to everything. If you're wondering why I'm not giving Show X more chances, it may be because I'm watching a worthy documentary or a crappy new sitcom or an interesting new cable offering. To do this job is to never, ever feel adequately caught up with what's on my DVR (or in my "new/returning shows I should watch" DVD pile).

But when I feel that a particular show has a spark of potential or is doing at least a couple of things well, I'll give it as many chances as I realistically can. One of the great aspects of having so many opportunities to communicate with readers is that they often function as my eyes and ears and let me know when they think I'm missing out on something good.

So in the spirit of second (and third, and fourth, and fifth...) chances, I thought I'd briefly revisit a few shows in their first and second seasons to see where they're at and whether I think I'll stick with them.

Below are further thoughts on "Fringe," "Community," "Parks and Recreation," "Lie to Me," "FlashForward," "Sons of Anarchy" and "Modern Family." (And by the way, there are clips for many of these shows in the video player on the right side of this page. The photo above is of Joseph Fiennes of "FlashForward.")

Here goes:

"Fringe," 8 p.m. Central Thursday, Fox: As I wrote recently, "Fringe" has developed into a relatively pleasing show most weeks. Thursday's episode, which delves into the history of the show's enigmatic Observer, is by far the best of the season. Quite often the best "Fringe" episodes revel in the show's mythology, which doesn't always hang together perfectly but is generally more interesting than what transpires in the monster-of-the-week episodes. I'm not advocating that "Fringe" turn into a show that exclusively explores complicated over-arching stories, and at this point the characters are gelling so well that their banter and relationships often make the show worth watching. But the monster-of-the-week episodes need to be more consistently good or they will remain less interesting as the stories of William Bell, the alternate dimension and the Observer. 
(There's a clip from Thursday's "Fringe" here; my other stories about the show are here.)

Will I stick with it? Yes

Grade: B

"Parks and Recreation," 7:30 p.m. Central Thursday, NBC: What a pleasure this show has turned out to be in its second season. Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler) is far more engaging and most of the show's fine supporting cast are getting plenty of chances to show off their comic skills. The recent episode in which Ron Swanson (Nick Offerman) tangled with his ex, Tammy (Megan Mullally), was a comic masterpiece. Not every episode is on that level, and I'm still not quite sure why Ann (Rashida Jones) is friends with the hyperactive yet well-intentioned Leslie. But this series has nicely developed its own oddball little world, and in doing so, it has become a must-see comedy. (The awesome image at right is of Ron Swanson in Thursday's episode, "Hunting Trip.")

Will I stick with it? Most definitely

Grade: B+ (verging on an A-)

"Community," 7 p.m. Central Thursday, NBC: Tonally, "Community" can't quite decide what it wants to be -- a parody of network comedies, a broad, loud sitcom full of stock characters or a subtle, "Office"-style mockumentary featuring real-seeming people. But at this point, most of the "Community" characters are still too one-dimensional and there's a swaggering smugness to Jeff (Joel McHale) that remains off-putting, despite the half-hearted attempts to humanize him. The most reliable source of comedy is the breakout character Abed (Danny Pudi), whose deadpan line readings are consistently hilarious. (My original review of "Community" is here.)

Will I stick with it? Not sure. I may check it out intermittently, mostly for Abed.

Grade: B-

"Modern Family," 7 p.m. Central Wednesday, ABC: This sterling comedy is still the season's best new show. Sure, not every episode is as gut-busting and perfectly crafted as "Modern Family's" best outings, but then, very few comedies on the air now can match "Modern Family" at its best. This show unites sharp-eyed observations about family life with characters who still seem believable (and believably flawed, not sitcom-fake). The best part? I can't pick my favorite character. Some weeks it's the dorky Phil (Ty Burrell), other weeks, I'm in stitches thanks to guest stars such as Shelley Long (Edward Norton and Fred Willard are among the upcoming guest stars). But it must be said that the delightful Cameron (Eric Stonestreet, pictured at left) steals every single scene he's in. (My original review of "Modern Family" is here.)

Will I stick with it? Absolutely

Grade: A

"Sons of Anarchy," 9 p.m. Central Tuesday, FX: I'll post an interview with "Sons" creator Kurt Sutter soon, but for now, suffice to say that this show is one of the finest character dramas on television. Forget what it's about -- though the world of bikers is an interesting one. Just settle in for a great ride with utterly compelling people trying to do good in a very confusing, difficult world. "Sons" is riveting drama. (My other stories on the show are here.)

Will I stick with it? Absolutely

Grade: A+

"Lie to Me," 8 p.m. Central Monday, Fox: In its second season, this Tim Roth vehicle has amped up the tension and the stories have more kick. Sure, it's a procedural of sorts, but it's the most satisfying kind. There are questions to be answered about who did what to whom and who's lying or hiding something, but the questions and answers have moral and personal repercussions for all the characters, who grow more interesting each week. Plots featuring Eli Loker (Brendan Hines) and Ria Torres (Monica Raymund) have been as interesting as the A-stories showcasing lie-buster Cal Lightman (Tim Roth). Side note: Thank you, Fox, for letting this Brit keep his accent. It gives the writers a chance to play up the character's rough-and-tumble London past, and it allows the actor to grow ever more comfortable as the combustible, relentless Lightman. (The photo above is of Abby Brammell, Ricky Jay and Roth in the Nov. 30 episode of "Lie to Me," the Las Vegas-set "Fold Equity." My previous "Lie to Me" stories and features are here.)

Will I stick with it? Yes

Grade: B+

"FlashForward," 7 p.m. Central Thursday, ABC: I'm out. Well, almost out. I tend to give shows with a genre elements much more of a chance (too much of a chance? Possibly).  But every time the characters on this slow-paced drama start discussing -- again -- their views on free will versus fate, I want to scream. People need to stop talking about what happened in their futures and start living more interesting present-day lives. Somewhere in here, there may be an interesting story about how and why the mysterious time lapse and flash-forward happened, but those reveals have come too slowly. Jack Davenport, Sonya Walger and Brian F. O'Byrne are very appealing actors, but their characters are often going around in circles. And watching the stiff Mark (Joseph Fiennes) construct his Wall of Clues is sometimes like watching a Wall of Paint dry. The self-fulfilling prophecy of the Clue Wall being assembled before our eyes just doesn't have much dramatic oomph. And if the characters were more compelling, it'd make it more possible to forgive the show's lapses in logic, but there are a lot of logic lapses, and so far the characters aren't distracting me from that. In general, the show too often relies on unearned sentiment and solemn montages shot through with golden light instead of good pacing and meaty, surprising personal stories. "FlashForward" has moments of tension and momentum, but it needs to have a lot more of them if it wants to hold my interest in the present -- or the future. (My original review of "FlashForward" is here. Photo: Sonya Walger as Olivia Benford.)

Will I stick with it? I may check it out on occasion, but there's very good chance that I'm done.

Grade: C-

This list obviously doesn't cover every scripted show in its first and second season. I've enjoyed "The Good Wife" and "Castle" this season but haven't watched them in the last couple of weeks, so I didn't want to weigh in here. I'm also keen on "Glee" and "V" but have written about them recently; those pieces are here and here.

What new (or new-ish) shows would you recommend that I check out? Shows in their first or second seasons only, please.

The Star Report: Is Johnny Depp double the sexy now?
People magazine bestows Johnny Depp with "Sexiest Man Alive" title again. Plus: Johnny poses with Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter, who really should do something with her renegade hair!
Celebrating The Johnny Mercer Centennial

Lyricist and composer Johnny Mercer — born Nov. 18, 1909 — wrote or co-wrote more than 1,000 songs, including American Songbook standards like "Skylark," "That Old Black Magic" and "Come Rain or Come Shine." His Academy Awards tally includes a statue for what's possibly his most famous tune, "Moon River." Fresh Air marks the anniversary of his birth with an in-studio concert starring Rebecca Kilgore and Dave Frishberg.