The Ricky Gervais Show

I'm watching episodes of HBO's The Ricky Gervais Show, which is essentially the animated, edited version of his popular podcast, The Ricky Gervais Podcast. But on premium cable.

Thankfully they're only about half an hour long, so it's not that bad - but are Americans such a visual people that you have to come up with a visual interpretation of an audio broadcast? Really? If nothing else, I like the Hanna-Barbera look of the show.

I can't be the only one that wonders how Karl (Pilkington, the show's idiot-in-residence) came to be a PRODUCER before his current infamy as Britain's most famous idiot. Well to be fair, I also know some professionals who can be pretty ditzy...

There's nothing like feeling smarter compared to Karl Pilkington.

Things I will miss about The Closer

Image via WikipediaFirst Lie to Me doesn't get a full season, now there was an announcement that The Closer will come to an end in 2011 with its seventh season. I know I'm not the only one who reacted this way when the news first broke - but just to let you know, it's NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.............!!!

I suppose the show has come a really long way - The Closer started off with Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson who was single, new to the job and LA, hated by the subordinates to being married and respected by everyone she works with.

Ain't it odd that this came out not long after Kyra Sedgwick won that Emmy? Coincidence? It's not like they work all year round on the show, they only work six bloody months out of the year because Kyra's a New Yorker. Maybe she got tired of the show, because wanting to end the show "on a good note" is the oldest excuse in the book, but waiting for the show to go south (no pun intended) and cancelled is just that much worse.

If it has to end, I hope it goes out well; I hope she settles that beef with that rapist lawyer at least. Now I wonder if she and Fritz will have a kid.... waitaminute, by the time the show end, it would've been over 100 episodes already - won't The Closer qualify for syndication? It'll be on FOREVER...

Things I will miss about The Closer

• Brenda's wardrobe - the candy cotton pink trenchcoat, anyone?
• The antics of "Flovenza" - Lieutenants Provenza and Flynn - those guys crack me up
• Her home life with Fritz and Joel the cat
• The cat(s), dearly departed Kitty and Joel
• Watch Fritz not wear the pants first in their relationship, then marriage... Oh Fritzy, REALLY?!

Related articles

• 'The Closer' to End After Season 7 (buddytv.com)
• 'The Closer's' Kyra Sedgwick: 'Brenda Likes To Do Things On Her Own' (tvsquad.com)

No back nine for Lie to Me? What does it mean?

I just saw the news that Lie to Me won't be getting their back nine for the season, my heart sank a little bit.

I love watching Tim Roth on the show, not playing an American character for once. Admittedly the writing's gone in a different direction this season, but I'm still waiting for it to work out by season's end.

Then I remembered that the first season was also only 13 episodes. Hmm.

I really hope that it gets renewed in the end.

Related articles

• Fox Passes on 'Lie to Me' Full Season Order (tvsquad.com)

Ann is Cycle 15's Top Model, yay!

First of all, I can't believe that I still watch America's Next Top Model after all these years. I am such a sucker. So yes, I saw the Cycle 15 finale - the battle between Chelsey and Ann.

After years of watching the finalists stumble and bumble through their lines in the Cover Girl commercial shoots, they finally do the commercial shoot differently by having the girls do VOICEOVERS to the onscreen action. I bet the previous contestants must be kicking themselves right about then. I thought it took them long enough to upgrade the publication from Seventeen to Italian Vogue.

I think Ann lucked out in winning America's Next Top Model THIS cycle because the prize was Italian Vogue and she's got the look that the European market wants. If it was still Seventeen, then Chelsey wins hands down.

And yes, I'm glad Ann won - I mean, she got best photo FIVE TIMES in a row, which was unheard of until then.

Related articles

• 'America's Next Top Model' Finale: Who Should Win, Ann or Chelsey? (buddytv.com)
• Ann Ward Named America's Next Top Model (thehollywoodgossip.com)

Craig Ferguson - The Doctor Who themed cold open

Not too long ago, Craig Ferguson did a musical song-and-dance cold open where they made up lyrics to the Doctor Who theme song because the current Doctor Matt Smith was on the show that night. But they couldn't show it on the actual The Late Late Show broadcast then because they hadn't secured the rights to the song. Whoops.

After going on and on about it during the show, it's been hinted (not too subtly) that it will find its way online at some point. So it was just a matter of time... and HERE IT IS! Woo hoo!

They basically summed up the show for people who don't know what Doctor Who is (I know what it's about, but I can't be bothered to actually watch). As usual, I love the puppets.

Personally I'm a little meh about it because I'm just wondering why didn't all this happen when David Tennant was the Doctor.