In the opening scene, we see Adam Whitman, the brother Don paid off to go away, handing a hotel manager a package marked "Personal" addressed to "Donald Draper, Sterling and Cooper, 405 Madison Ave". After giving the manager five dollars to cover the 40 cent postage for the box, Adam returns to his room, pulls a chair to a pipe, steps onto it, and kicks the chair out from under himself.

Roger has yet to return to the office after his heart attack. Cooper(played by Robert Morse.. Is that great casting or what?!?!) tells Don that "He just got done talking Lucky Strike off a ledge." The client is worried that Roger won't be hands-on on their account any longer and is losing faith in the agency. They need to do something fast to restore their confidence. Cooper has set a big lunch meeting for tomorrow with the client. Roger must be there to reassure them.

Roger comes prematurely back to the office, looking literally gray and moving slowly. "I shall be both dog and pony.", he announces. Cooper dispatches Joan to work her magic with makeup on Roger so that he doesn't scare the clients. Joan has been missing Roger in his absence, but in her role as "other woman",must keep it on the downlow. When they're alone, Roger kisses her and tells her he's missed her too. (He sure is putting on a good show of having recommitted to his marriage, however, and it's a show that Joan has definitely viewed!)

Roger enters the meeting and tries to make happy talk with the client. Just as he picks up a sandwich and prepares to sit down and join the discussion, he is stricken with another heart attack. An ambulance is called and Roger is taken away again as his wife scolds Cooper for making him come back too soon. The client, played by the wonderful John Cullum, tells Cooper that they still need reassurance. "We like Draper", he tells Cooper, "perhaps you better show him you appreciate him too."

Cooper ends up offering Draper a partnership in the firm. Don is thrilled and leaves early to celebrate, telling Peggy to do the same.

Psycho Pete and the other boys have been speculating since Roger's first attack about Don's chances for advancement and what that would mean to each of them. Of course, Pete feels that he deserves Don's current spot if Don moves up. Pete asks his secretary to watch Cooper's door and report back to him as soon as Don and Cooper end their meeting. When they do, Pete offers his congrats to Don and immediately tells Don he'd like to "throw his hat into the ring" for head of Account Service, a position which Don, as new partner, gets to fill.

While all this jockeying for position is going on, the agency is also faced with coming up with a new name and campaign for a new product. It is a weight loss device for women which, for lack of a better term, is a vibrating electric panty. The new client claims that wearing this device will simulate exercise and stimulate weight loss. The boys are at a loss for how to describe this device and the few wives that tried it were not much help. They remember that Peggy was a great help with the lipstick account and that she's also a bit on the chunky side. They call her in to the brainstorm, and ask her to take it home, try it out, and give them her thoughts.

She does so, and yes indeed, the device is both stimulating and simulating, as Peggy finds when she slips it on under her nightie to give it a try. In her notes that she shares with Don the next day, she tries to communicate what she felt while wearing it, despite being embarrassed to discuss it with Don, her boss. He rightly guesses that it "provides the sensation of a man, without the man". Well, I suppose that would burn calories!!!

As the episode ends, Don is home celebrating his promotion with his wife (despite having spent a good deal of the beginning of the epi in bed with Rachel the client, who he is telling is "where he ought to be." ) and Psycho Pete is at the office after hours, trying Don's office on for size. He finds the package marked "Personal" that was delivered to Don at the end of the day.. AND STEALS IT.

Only two episodes left of this stunning first season, and it gets better every week.

The POTW is a female airforce flyer who hopes to be selected to be an astronaut. In the epi's open, she flips out in a flight simulator, the result of a neurological condition that has her converting visual images to sound, or "hearing with her eyes." She shows up at House's office with $50,000 cash, and the request that he figure out what's wrong with her without NASA being able to find out as a diagnosis of any major medical condition will boot her from the astronaut program.

House uses her case to put his new candidates through their paces while torturing Cuddy with his typical MO of violating hospital rules left and right. Those candidates that stand up to him, cut-throat better than the others, break rules as well as he does, and/or have REALLY good ideas about diagnoses rise to the top.

Number 6, (Kal Penn aka "Kumar") is fired for ratting for someone, but when he returns the next day as "Number 9", Greg admires both his moxy and deviousness. He also came back with a great idea, one that was just off the wall and unorthodox enough to be just Greg's style, and likely to work: To get the patient wasted to stress her liver so they can measure the changes without putting her through a test that NASA could detect.

Number 13 is the new hot brunette on the show, and given her pedigree (having been on Black Donnelley's and The OC.) I think we already know she's staying. She actually had some good ideas too. I think we'll also see the plastic surgeon guy continue, as well as the older gentleman. We've seen from Grey's how many different kinds of cases a plastic surgeon can get his hands into and contribute to addressing. And, it would be interesting to have an ensemble of different ages and specialities on the canvas.

While House is testing his new candidates, he's being plagued by visions. He thinks he sees Chase in the hallways. Later, he sees a blond Cameron in the lobby. He runs to Wilson to see if he can confirm these sightings. Wilson tells him that both Chase and Cameron have taken jobs in Arizona and are engaged. (Side note: There are TWO things I must re-watch about this scene and investigate. I want to examine the phone number that Wilson showed him from Cameron's "call from Arizona". Maybe I have been watching "Lost" for too long, but I'll bet there's something significant there. Second, Did Wilson say that Cameron and Chase are ENGAGED? And if so, is that really true? For the actors' sake, given their real life break-up, I hope not. )

Greg accepts this, at first, until he also sees FOREMAN in the hallways AND sees Chase again, this time in the observation room while he is doing surgery. The new plastic surgeon doc confirms that there is indeed a sandy blonde haired doc watching from above, so Greg goes to Wilson again. This time, Wilson fesses up. Cameron has been working in the ER for the last 3 weeks, and Chase followed her back here and is now in Surgery. Foreman, as far as Wilson knows, really IS still head of diagnostics at NYU.

House makes a beeline down to the ER in a scene that delighted the House/Cameron shipper in me. He and Cameron exchanged some snippy, teasing dialogue that definitely had some heat rising from it. No Chase in sight, either. (Thank God.) She quickly confronts him about the outcome of his current case. "You didn't want to squash her dream.", Camers says, clearly seeing through Greg's handling of the case. Greg didn't deny it.

He also plans to keep the older "doc" around to keep his dream alive. House figured out that his "I'm 21" year old candidate didn't really have a medical degree. When the gentleman confirmed that he didn't, but that he had been auditing classes for 30 years and knew more than most "real" residents, House offered him a chance to stay on as his personal assistant, with the clear opportunity to still brainstorm on and contribute to cases. The kinder, gentler, House.. making dreams come true.

Don learns earlier that day that the Dr. Scholl's account has decided to move to Leo Burnett. Pete practically delighted to tell him and obviously hopes to knock Don down a few pegs as a result. Don quickly goes to talk to Roger to own up to the loss. "The day you sign a client is the day you start to lose them.", Roger replies, looking up at Don from his in-office haircut. Roger seems pretty nonplussed by the whole thing and just wants to enjoy the weekend. He had asked Joan to spend the evening with him first, telling her that since the wife and practically all of Manhattan would be out of town, they could go anywhere. (Gee... how tempting! ) Good for her! - Joanie turns him down.

Roger then decides to check out the gals waiting on the "casting couch" downstairs. The creatives are casting twins for their double sided aluminum client's spots, so there is a bevy of fine looking gals sitting in their lobby. Roger selects two unassuming redheads, telling the rest to go home, and asking the newly hired spokepeople upstairs to his office for a celebratory drink.

Roger hits on the girls immediately and hard, even asking the two of them to KISS in front of him. Don is clearly uncomfortable with the whole scenario, especially when Roger disappears into his office alone with one twin, leaving Don alone with the other. Don remains the gentleman, trying to find a way out of there and chatting with the sister politely. Not long into the evening, Mirabelle (the twin Roger had been with.) frantically calls for her sister and for help. Roger has collapsed "en flagrante" with a heart attack.

Don gets the girls out of there, calls an ambulance and gets Roger to the hospital. Roger is stabilized, his tearful family arrives, and both Roger's heart and home life seem to be on the mend. Don calls Betty and tells her he will not be joining her at the shore after all due to the emergency.

Don leaves the hospital and arrives at Rachel's door, looking like hell. She answers in her nightgown, obviously woken up in the middle of the night. She lets him in and offers him a drink, but stops him when he tries to kiss her. "What, this is the end of the world.. so you can do whatever you want?" she says, after he tells her why he's there.

Some drinks later, Don is opening up about his past to Rachel in a way he surely never has to Betty or anyone. Rachel can't resist a vulnerable Don.. especially since she's completely in love with him anyway. They end up kissing passionately and they make love. After, he tells her more about his past. We learn that his mom was a prostitute that died in childbirth. He was then given to his father and his wife. His father was a drunk who later died after being kicked by a horse and he was left to be raised by his father's wife and the new man she took up with. Judging from the flashbacks we've already seen, they weren't very loving to Don, who really "belonged" to neither of them. "I was raised by those two sorry people.", Don tells Rachel.

I loved this episode for so many reasons. Much was revealed about so many characters. In addition to the insights into Don's past, and Roger reaching a turning point (we think...) in his relationship with his family, we also see a revealing moment with Joanie and her long-suffering roommate, Cooper recognizing that Joanie loves Roger (and warning her against him!) and more of the evermore-psychotic Pete. Trust me, that guy is going to be on the roof with that shotgun he bought some day soon.

Season 1 of Mad Men wraps up with Episode 13 on Oct. 18th. This week, we'll see Episode 11 entitled Indian Summer, in which they say that Roger's problems make for some opportunities for Don, opportunities which upset Pete and which he surely plans to try to torpedo. I look forward to this show more than most on the nets schedule, and can't wait for it to return next year, which it was announced last week it will do! AMC has ordered another 13 episode season of Mad Men for 2008!

When we left PPTH in May, Chase had been fired by House and both Foreman and Cameron had resigned. When we returned last night, two weeks had passed. In these two weeks without a team, House has done "absolutely nothing." Nothing but play his guitar, that is. House has a patient now, a young woman who was crushed in an office building collapse. He has a case to solve, and no team to help him. He claims he "doesn't need a team", but when Wilson catches him brainstorming diagnoses with the janitor, he figures he has to make House see that he does.

Wilson comes up with a brilliant plan. He "kidnaps" Greg's guitar and leaves him ranson notes of cut up paper and other diabolical clues. Watching Wilson torture Greg AND THOROUGHLY ENJOY IT, was extremely entertaining and funny. The best scene? Greg receives a box with only a broken off guitar bridge, dangling strings, inside. He is horrified about the possible mutiliation of his beloved guitar. He rushes to Wilson to demand he return it. Wilson not only refuses to do so until Greg begins interviewing candidates, he twists the knife just a bit more. "Have you ever tightened a guitar string... real, real slowly??", Wilson says in a very low key and somewhat psychotic tone, "It makes a sound.. almost like a scream." Greg grabs the resumes and SURVIVOR HOUSE - SEASON 4 begins.

As Greg strums his returned guitar, he talks to 30 or so candidates assembled in a room. "By the end of the next few weeks, one of you will be gone... as will another 28 of you." Let the challenges and eliminations begin!

If you've read any of the season promo pieces, you know that Kal Penn (Kumar), Olivia Wilde (from the Black Donnelleys) and 3-4 other new actors have been hired on to join House this year. But never fear, Chase, Camers, and Foreman WILL be back. You may have noticed their names are still in opening credits, and we caught glimpses of them in promos for next week. It may take several weeks, but we will see all of them again, but count on them working with House in a much different capacity than in the past.

Hugh Laurie was quoted as saying at the TV Critics Assoc. meeting, that these first three scripts of the season were not just the best House scripts he has ever read, they may be the best three SCRIPTS he's ever read. Judging from this first episode, I can believe that is true! Can't wait for the next two episodes, and for this entire next season, to unfold!

Cynthia Nixon guest starred. She arrives at the squad claiming to be a psychiatrist who is concerned that a patient is abusing her baby. When El and O go to investigate said patient, they arrive at her apt. to find no baby... just an empty crib, a doll in the bathtub, and a framed picture of a toddler girl... with her "mom" - THE PSYCHIATRIST. A neighbor tells El and O that the picture is of the mom and child that live there, a mom named Janice and a daughter named April.

Later, El and O find "Janice" hiding in a cave. An empty baby seat is by her side, she claims to not know who April is and that she is "too young to have a baby, she's only six!" After taking her in, interviewing her further, and speaking to both her REAL psychiatrist, played by Bronson Pinchot, and to Huang, they realize that Janice has multiple personalities. By the time we were halfway through the episode, we had met "Petra", a Russian Woman that was very protective, "Dory", a flirt that had a thing for Elliot, and Bart, an evil man that terrorized all the others.

Eventually, the missing child is found, and a younger sister shows up whose story of her own childhood sheds light on why Janice is as she is. While sister and baby are safe, Janice's mom and dad are soon found murdered, shot as they slept with a VERY LARGE shotgun. The leading suspect is "Bart", Janice's violent male personality, but in the "return of the LAW AND ORDER TWIST." We learn who the real culprit is. (I won't ruin it for those of you who tivo'd!)

This episode was great and really brought the new season in with a bang. Cynthia Nixon is an amazing actress, as she has demonstrated in many roles before and since SATC. Here, she moved from one personality to the next with ease, and REALLY creeped me out. The scene where she was holding Elliot's wife Kathy at knifepoint, while flirting with El... in pigtails??? ... chilling.

Speaking of Elliot's wife, she's already QUITE far along. Good thing, because we'll have this baby sooner into the season than I first thought, meaning we'll have plenty of time to find out that this is NOT El's baby. (totally my own theory, let's see if it proves out.)

And do not fear, before episode's end, Cragen is reinstalled as Captain and Muench is happily back at his desk. "Glad you're back, Captain, THIS JOB SUCKS.", Muench tells him as he welcomes him back. Cragen surely agrees, but I must say, I sure love spending my Tues. nights in this squad room.

"Sunday, Sept. 16th - 7-10P - Primetime Emmy's - Watch HUGH Win!"

I am shocked and sad to have to report that I didn't.... Oh, I watched the Emmy's, every minute of them, but I didn't see Hugh Laurie win. While I was cheering for him all the way, I must also add that I didn't really even EXPECT him to win. I, as well as everyone most watching and in the theatre last night, including Hugh and fellow nominee Denis Leary (based on their own comments on the red carpet)presumed that James Gandolfini would win for his final season performance as Tony in the Sopranos. JAMES SPADER??? I know Boston Legal is a good show, a funny show. I agree that James Spader is a talented and funny guy. But.. this year?? Against this field of nominees? Even Spader himself seemed shocked and a bit dismayed by it all, and not only because he had his back to the "mobsters he stole from."

All in all, it was an interesting show, I believe, if you are a fan of all things TV and/or just love watching the fashions. My 2 cents on the red carpet?? Best dresses: Katherine Heigl, Kate Walsh, and though we only caught a glimpse of her on the pre-show, I thought Jennifer Morrison looked fantastic. She was channelling Carole Lombard last night, very vintage Hollywood. What were you thinking! choices were: That Jenna gal from The Office and Minnie Driver's BRIGHT Yellow. Eeeeeeee!

For those who aren't huge TV buffs, the show seemed at times lackluster and a few other times, just plain bizarre. The two weirdest moments had to be the "Jersey Boys" medley/Sopranos honorarium and Ryan Secrest in the Tudors outfit. The less said about the latter the better.

Now, as far as the Jersey Boys foursome singing a medley of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons hits as we watch clips of Adrianna being dragged from the car to her, hunted down and shot. W...T.... F!!!!
The whole idea of these joyous songs juxtaposed with these dark scenes was just head-shaking, sick and bizarre. These two parts go together because The Jersey Boys are from Jersey.. and The Sopranos are from Jersey! O.... K...., Ah.. NO.

Also, I didn't think it was appropriate to honor The Sopranos, as a show, particularly bringing the whole cast up there for a curtain call, BEFORE THEY HAD WON ANYTHING. Yes, the show broke ground and changed television. Yes, it was wonderful.. and I was and am a big fan. It just disturbed me to honor them in this way, in this venue, at an industry event, when other groundbreaking, TV history-making shows never got the same. Did they do this for the Honeymooners? For All in the Family when it ended? For M*A*S*H? The list could go on forever.

Highlights of the evening?

The montage of tributes each late night host made to Tom Snyder upon his passing. These were not put together for the Emmy's, but clips of what each host actually did at the time,showing sincere, honest, heartfelt admiration for someone who did what they each do so very, very well.

Katherine Heigl's win and speech

Terry O'Quinn's win. BTW, I didn't hate his outfit as many did. It stood out in a sea of everyone's-the-same tuxes. What's wrong with that? And Michael Emerson, dressed up and out of character, still...freaks... me... out.

Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart giving Ricky Gervais's award for Best Actor in Comedy to "their friend, Steve Carell".

Tony Bennett winning Seven Emmy's. There can never be enough good things that can happen to Tony Bennett.

Ryan Seacrest staying on the sidelines, mostly... and letting the show chug along and letting the presenters and winners shine.

And, always best of all, finishing... more or less on time.

The wives join the conversation and Jim's wife takes Don to the bar to get more drinks. Jim meanwhile, tries to charm Betty. He tells her she looks like Grace Kelly and asks her if she ever did any modeling. Not seeming to realize this is a classic "line", Betty tells him that yes, as a matter of fact she did. Don tells Betty he could possibly "use" her and gives her his card.

Betty is flattered by the compliment, and thrilled at the prospect. The next day, she tells her pregnant friend Francine all about her modeling past, and pulls from the back of her closet a garment bag full of dresses that "Gianni" made for her when she was his muse in her pre-wed days. (Was this intended to be a young Gianni Versace?? I think so!)

In the meantime, Don is fielding both phone calls and incoming gifts from Jim Hobart. First, a towel and a free membership to the Athletic Club arrive. This motivates Don to call Jim, where he gets the details on Jim's offer. A big raise, a big group, international exposure, and an opportunity to work on Pan Am and Esso are all on the table. Don is definitely thinking about it.

Betty is thinking about the modelling opportunity and brings it up to Don at dinner. He's hesitant, but she's so enthusiastic he can't crush her hopes and tells her to go for it. Later, she "auditions" at McCann, and of course, gets the gig. But when Jim said he wanted to "use" her, he wasn't kidding.

Golf clubs arrive at the office next for Don. Jim sent them, but it's Roger Sterling who delivers them to Don's office, making it clear that he knows exactly who they're from and what's going on. He tells Don that the bonus (the $2,500) he received earlier was "intended to be armor against people like Jim Hobart." He also reminds Don that big clients and managing big groups aren't always what they're cracked up to be, that much of the hands-on Don now enjoys would be lost. "It's business", Don replies.

Betty excitedly goes to her shoot where she is photographed as the mom of a happy family picnicking with Coca-Cola. Later, Don receives proofs of Betty's shoot. The message is clear. You come with us, she keeps the gig. You say no, she's out. Disgusted by these tactics, Don negotiates a deal with Roger to stay(more money, no contract),then calls Jim and turns down his offer. Jim says, "It'll be a shame to lose both of you." Betty gets the news that they've decided to go with "more of an Audrey Hepburn look than a Grace Kelly" soon after.
Later at dinner, a disappointed Betty tells Don that she decided not to pursue re-entering modelling after all. "Manhattan is harsh.", she tells him.

In the sick and twisted world of Pete and Peggy,(am I the only one that gets more creeped out by these two by the week?), Peggy rips her skirt and ends up borrowing one of Joan's dresses so that she doesn't have to "ruin her silhouette" by walking around with a sweater tied around her waist, god forbid. The other gals and guys make fun of her size and shape anyway, despite the fact that she's not by any means fat. After a full day of hearing stuff like that, Pete goes ballistic and clocks one of his colleagues for his fat Peggy comments. Way to be stealth, Pete.

Pete also plays media director (badly) by getting the brilliant idea to buy up all the ad time in local markets Kennedy targeted for their laxative client so that Kennedy would be shut out and only Nixon could run in those markets. I guess Pete doesn't know that politicals will pay whatever they have to do get non-political advertisers bumped and get the spots they want where and when they need them. Regardless, they go ahead and buy the spots, unauthorized by anyone and unbeknowst to the media dept, and end up getting congratulated for their brilliance. Ain't that just the way sometimes? You know it.

There was a lot of shooting going on in this episode. A photo shoot that unearthed a buried dream, and it was hoped, would kill a counteroffer. A shot in the dark that might kill Kennedy's chances to reach his audience. Shooting down a wild thing for just doing what wild things do. Makes we wonder, as Pete seems to unspool more by the day, when we'll see HIS gun again.

This year, summer offered enough good, new shows that I managed to get through the off-season without wearing out my DVD player and Tivo. Mad Men has undoubtedly been the highlight for me, and I urge you to jump in and get addicted along with me. (If you missed the Mad Men marathon on Labor Day weekend Sunday, just hop on Thurs. night and read my earlier blog entries to catch up.)

But, soon we will be to premiere week, which looks to be the week of Sept. 24th for most programming. Let's take a look at what the nets are planning and start thinking with me about how to plan out our evenings!

Monday

Monday has been, for the most part, a day off for me. None of my favorite shows air on that night. In summer, I've been watching My Boys on Mondays, a quick half hour and I'm done. We also tivo The Closer, but we're weeks behind in watching those. Hopefully, we can catch up before next Monday's season finale!

This Fall, Dancing With the Stars returns, sporting such glittering celebs as Jane Seymour, Marie Osmond, Wayne Newton and Scary Spice. Last but not least, hottie Cameron Mathison (Ryan from All My Children) will be strutting his stuff this season to keep us gals interested. (Maybe they can get costumes as skimpy as the girls' for HIM.) DWTS has always been a "fixin' dinner" show for me (I'm in the kitchen, there's a TV in the kitchen, might as well watch something.) How I Met your Mother is a good fall-back cooking show, and the one I turn to when DWTS ends. At 8P central, I think I'll give K-Ville a try. This new show on Fox deals with cops working in New Orleans in the wake of Katrina. It looked both thrilling and touching at the upfronts and is definitely worth a look. At 9P my time, I finally have an excuse to miss Caruso and his "sunglasses of justice". Journeyman is a new show on NBC that brings together the premise of the book, Time Traveler's Wife with the "right what once went wrong" goals of "Quantum Leap". Having loved both of those shows, how could I not give this a whirl? Caruso and his sunglasses will still be there if Journeyman goes away(as will the nine o'clock dog walk, thank goodness!)

Tuesday

Tuesdays belong to House and SVU in my heart and on my screen. The 7-8P hour is devoted to ripping through dinner in time to get planted on the couch in time for "Dr. Greg." ABC's new show, Cavemen, will NOT become my Tuesday fixin' dinner show as it is the worst thing I think I've ever seen at an upfront. Hopefully, it won't be around long enough for you to even have to glance at it. If SVU is pre-empted sometimes, I would like to check out "Cane", which from what I've seen on the promos looks like "Hispanic Dallas" to me. Jimmy Smits is JR, the other from Lost is Bobby and Hector Elizondo is "DADDY". I'm sure there's more to it than that, but since I didn't get to go to the CBS upfront, that's the only impression I have.

Wednesday

Looks like it could turn into an ABC night for me. I've been intrigued by Pushing Daisies since I saw the clips at the ABC upfront, and I'm thrilled that they put it at a time on the schedule when I wasn't watching anything else and while I'm in front of that kitchen TV! Ned, a baker played by Lee Pace, can bring people back to life with a single touch. With a second touch, they die again. He's had this gift since childhood, and decides to team up with his best friend, a private investigator, and use it to solve crimes. The plan: Bring the vic to life, have them help you find their killer!, kill them again and collect the reward money. He was even able to bring back his one true love, his high school sweetheart who had been killed in an accident. Only problem is, if he ever touches her again, she'll die. It's also shot in this kind of colorful, fantastic style ala Desperate Housewives and even Moulin Rouge. Give it a try, it's already getting buzz and besides, what else you gonna watch at that time? Kid Nation? Please.

At 8P CST, we have Kate Walsh's show Private Practice. I wasn't madly in love with the pilot shown as part of Grey's, but I didn't hate it either. It's worth another go round at the very least. If it doesn't prove out, I'll walk the doggy early and get home in time for Dirty Sexy Money at 9P, which I know I'm going to love. You can't go wrong with ANYTHING that has Donald Sutherland in it, especially an EVIL Donald Sutherland. Plus, you've got Peter Krause, which I'm sure you've missed as I have since 6FU went away. It's intrigue and dirty dealings and soapiness and great actors. What's not to like?

Thursday

If Thursday's not broke, don't fix it. Smallville is not the ideal "fixin' dinner" show, only because so much happens sometimes when I have my back to the screen. I end up saying "What just happened?" a lot. But hey, I get to look at Tom Welling while I cook. And call me weird, but I don't think Lex is too bad either. Hubby likes staring at Lana, so there's something for everyone. The rest of the evening, my Tivo gets a work out since Grey's and CSI air at the same time, as do Without a Trace and the new show, Big Shots. I may not stick with Big Shots, but I'll give it an initial view if only because I love me my Michael Vartan.

Friday

Another night off for me, except for Numb3rs at 9P. I'd love to watch Friday Night Lights, so I'm sad they moved it to this same time. I never thought they'd do that. Last year, a colleague asked me, "Why isn't Friday Night Lights on Friday Nights?" and my response was that the people who love that high school football culture and would be the lowest hanging fruit viewers are AT GAMES on Friday night. Let's hope that's not the case and this timeslot proves to be a better home for the show. I haven't been able to make it a habit yet, but I know from what I've seen and what I've heard about it, that's this is one very, very, good show.

Saturday

I truly watch nothing on Saturday nights on the nets. My one Sat. Night habit is that I MUST watch Iron Chef America while I cook on Sat. night. If I don't, I feel out of sync. Mostly, we watch stuff we taped earlier in the week or go out, like the rest of America.

Sunday

Sunday has started with 60 Minutes for me since college (and I won't say how long ago that was, but here's a hint: Mike Wallace's hair was black!) so I see no reason to change that now. I will continue to resist bawling my eyes out at Extreme Makeover Home Edition, so that gets me to two of my favorite shows, Cold Case at 8P and Shark at 9P. I was determined to hate Shark, because it is so blatantly a House rip-off (I imagine a pitch meeting where the producers sold it in..."It's House.. but with LAWYERS!") My hubby liked it though, so I kept watching for his sake. Sadly, I do have to let him have the remote every now and then. Now I'm hooked. If Shark is pre-empted or delayed horribly by football as it often is, I'll probably surf over to Brothers and Sisters, which I've been tempted to check out for quite awhile. Having loved ThirtySomething and Once and Again, it seems like it would be right in my wheel house. Time to give it a view.

Enjoy the new season! And let me know what YOU intend to watch.

In the past few weeks, we've learned more about Roger Sterling, Don Draper's boss (played by the wonderful John Slattery.) We now know he has a rather strained relationship with both his wife and his daughter, a hot office affair in progress, and quite the drinking problem (altho, as we've seen.. that's true of just about everyone on Mad Men. Now I know why all my early bosses in this industry were former alcoholics!)

While we seem to learn more about one secondary character each week, we only learn enough to have even more questions about Don Draper. But the mysteries surrounding Don are one of the things that make this show so intriguing. Mad Men would be fun to watch if only to immerse oneself for an hour in the sets, the clothes, and the lifestyle of the period. It's amazingly reproduced and dramatically different from the current day in so many ways. (drinking and smoking non-stop in the office, pregnant women drinking and smoking freely, pearls and satin while fixing dinner, and on and on.) The core issues, however, of love and family and work politics and dark pasts all remain exactly the same.

The characters are intriguing, the writing is sharp, the acting is great, the casting sublime and the era is both fascinating and a hoot. Get into Mad Men. You'll be very glad you did!

A good friend of P.J's from college had moved to NYC after, and was coming back to Chicago seven years later for a visit. She was her first editor and gave P.J. her first column assignment (Oh boy, she's a writer too!) She arrives sporting curly long hair, a pink tutu, lots of accessories, and 3 friends: One, a Type-A, assertive redhead, a Park-Avenue-focused-on-marriage brunette, and a nymphomaniac, very tall blond. They proceed to display all the standard SATC stereotypes throughout, best of which was the sight gag upon their arrival where the "Carrie" twin and her tutu gets splashed by the passing bus. This was an amusing little diversion and would have been funnier if it hadn't been stuffed into an episode overloaded with too many gags.

At the same time, the guys were fending off their accused similarities to Entourage. (At one point, PJ's voice-over even mentioned "ending up with an Entourage".) Brendan has let being named one of "Chicago's Hottest Bachelors" get to his head and has turned into someone who seems to be channeling Trouty. The gang stages a "Douchebag intervention" to make him realize what a jerk he's being. (Is this the summer of TV interventions?)

In case that's not yet enough packed into a 1/2 hour show, Andy is having problems dealing with an overly friendly neighbor. We get a peek into Andy's Hoffman Estates life (which we will see more of next week... OH, BOY!) and hear, but do not see, Fitzy... the neighbor that showers Andy with cucumbers and zucchini bread as thanks for chores and favors he does. Life in the burbs is SO exciting.

Oh, wait.. there's more. Stephanie is falling for her debt counselor, Lance. She takes him to a free concert at Millenium Park and invites him to use her spare ticket to Italy.. Who will use PJ's? We still don't know, but that's one of the questions designed to lead us to the Season Finale. Stay Tuned!

The Gavin family decides to have a joint intervention for both Uncle Teddy and crazy sister, Maggie. While Dad, (Charles Durning) sucks down whiskey in the corner, Maggie readily agrees to treatment. "I'm sick of this shit! Pack me up and ship me to rehab!", She declares. Uncle Teddy sees no reason to quit drinking and tells everyone so.

The whole scene soon degenerates into everyone who is supposed to be "intervening" discussing their OWN drinking problems, both historical and current. Maggie states, and rightfully so, that this family has enough drunks in it to conduct their OWN AA meetings.

How true... and how like Rescue Me to take something that is serious and important, and to farm out the black humor in it, making it .. dare I say... fun.. to watch at least.

After any major industry award presentation, news of the winners lands in the trades, the happy honorees pictured with trophies in hand. Attaining celebrity in your chosen field can be wonderful, but NOT when you're travelling through this newly celebrated life with an assumed name and a buried past. A smiling face published in a national publication makes one easy to find.

In the aftermath of Don's big night, we begin to see some of the onion layers under which his hidden past lie peel away. First, Peggy overhears a phone conversation between Don and Midge which reveals that he frequently "visits" her during the day. When he leaves right after the sultry conversation for an "early lunch", and disappears again the next afternoon forgetting his family's appointment to have a portrait taken, Peggy assumes that both absences are due to the "Woman he meets." Peggy tells Joan what she overheard in the hopes of getting advice on how to lie to Don's wife. Joan not only doesn't help, but scolds Peggy for revealing Don's "private life" to her or anyone. Don clearly enjoys his afternoon delight with Midge, but remains distant and guarded with her. At the same time hurt by and thankful for her role in his life, she tells him that whatever his problems are she "enjoys being his medicine."

The next day, Peggy interrupts an agency status meeting to tell Don that he has a visitor. "His name is Adam Whitman", she says. Don looks very distressed. (Remember the recent train ride when an old army buddy Don ran into called him "Dick Whitman"?!?!?!) Don leaves the meeting to talk to the man. The young, red-headed visitor tells Don, "Don't you remember me? I know I'm all grown up now, but I'm your little brother!" He had seen Don's picture in Ad Age and was both surprised and confused. He had always thought his older brother, Dick, had died in the service. Now he's alive, successful and living in NY as Don Draper? What gives?

Don meets him at a nearby diner for lunch to talk. (It's during this lunch that his family shows up for the portrait sitting and Peggy assumes she has to cover for him as he meets with Midge.) Peggy keeps Betty and the kids amused and apologizes profusely for forgetting to remind Don of the portrait appointment when he returns. He tells them he had a meeting at the printer that had run late.

After returning to the office from the portrait sitting, Don has a meeting with a banking client. They have come up with a way to bring more customers into the bank, to offer men "private executive accounts" that they can open separately from their families. Who better to sell in the idea of funding a secret life than Don? The clients love the idea.

After the meeting, he receives a picture of himself, young-20's and in uniform, with his little brother and a note from Adam on hotel stationery saying, "If you change your mind, I'm in 5G." Don leaves the office early for the day and goes home. After dinner, Don goes to his study, burns the picture, then opens a desk drawer placing its contents into a briefcase. Later, he meets with the brother at the hotel, and while his back is turned and with a funny look on his face, slowly...opens... the.. briefcase. I'm thinking, "Oh my god, he's gonna shoot this guy.", and we know so little about Don, maybe he would? Instead, he withdraws bundles of cash, $5,000 in all... and tells the brother to use it to build himself a new life and to leave NYC and never contact him or his family again. The brothers embrace and this page seems to have been turned.

Last week's episode, "New Amsterdam", was focused on Pete and his wife. We learned that sleazy Pete comes from a very wealthy family, one that once owned "everything north of 105th Street." His wife, Trudy seems pretty well-heeled too. His new little princess had fallen in love with a very nice apt. in the east 80's and wanted to buy it. "They're asking $32,000 but the realtor thinks we can get it for $30,000", she tells Pete. (Current New Yorkers - how much would that pad go for now? I'm guessing $2 mil or more??) Both hit up mommy and daddy for the dough and her parents comply.

This week, Pete is jealous of a fellow AE who got a short story published in The Atlantic Monthly. Pete presents his own story to his wife and asks her to pitch it to a former fiance and "her first", a man who is now in the publishing business. She walks into this spider's lair for her husband's sake and her ex does make a pass at her, which she rebuffs. Later at dinner, she tells Pete that she did get his story published... in "Boy's Life". He's upset that the publication carrying his story isn't as prestigious as that of his fellow AE's. She's upset that he's not happy she succeeded. "I could have gotten you in The New Yorker." she says. The undertone being, if I had agreed to what my former fiance had in mind.

Ambition and Greed. Secrets and Lies. All wrapped up in a pretty package, our great industry at its best time. Don't ya love this show?

Each week, we see more of the events of Don Draper's life but learn little more about him. If anything, we only end up with even more questions. On the way home from work one late night on the train, he runs into an old army buddy. He tries to act like he doesn't recognize him, and perhaps he doesn't. Perhaps, he doesn't want to BE recognized by anyone from his past, especially anyone who knows him as DICK WHITMAN, which is what the army pal called him. He served under a different name? And if so, what is his real name? For that matter, Don Draper sounds slick enough to be a pseudonym too. What's this guy's story?

We already know that his wife knows almost nothing about the past he won't discuss. She knows little about his years in the service, has never met his family, has no idea whether he grew up rich or poor. How does one fall in love with and create a family and a life with someone who you only know on the surface? He certainly can sell an idea. And he certainly has made it far with the ladies on his looks. As my brother so aptly put it, his whole life is one big ad, just an image created to make a sale.

This week's episode was titled, "The Marriage of Figaro" and it was intended (we learn in a "Behind the scenes" feature after the show) to explore marriage from different sides. There is a new neighbor who is a recent divorcee. There are Don's wife and the other neighbors, gathered for Don's daughter's birthday party, staking out their suburban and marital territory to ward off this attractive, single, worldly woman they clearly consider a threat. (and the men consider a TREAT!)

We see a distant, sometimes grouchy, introspective Don this week who seems quite unsure of what he wants in life. He snaps at his co-workers, he drinks heavily (even more so than is the norm on this show, if you can believe it.) He seems miles away from his family, even when with them, a distance he makes physically real when he drives off in the middle of his daughter's birthday party and disappears for hours. As the party goes on, topped off by a still-frozen Sara Lee cake (rather than the ordered bakery one Don had set of to pick up.), Don sits in his car watching one commuter train after another go by, deep into the night.

When later he returns home with a puppy for his daughter's birthday present, all seems well between him and the kids. But not so between Don and Betty, his wife. As we know, she has a secret of her own, the still-present hand tremors, which I think will end up being not psychosomatic, but a serious, still to be diagnosed, illness. What will happen I wonder, if Don's wife does get more ill, and he's left to deal with his job, his children, and the other two women in his life?

New secretary Peggy seems to have it REAL BAD, almost to obsessive, bad for newly married Pete. Pete seems like a really user and really creeps me out, but honestly, Peggy is starting to also. She seems like a stalker in the making. Pete may find a bunny boiling in a pot on his stove if he doesn't look out. The coming episode delves further into Peggy and Pete's relationship, as well as a deeper look into Don's growing relationship with Rachel, his new female client.

As the episode opened, 62 Truck has been called to an apartment fire. Before the squad even get out of the truck, a mother throws one baby out of a 4th floor window of the heavily engulfed building. Tommy and the new probie, Sean, in a cherry picker, try to get the mother to hand over the other kids. She throws a few at them, which they happen to catch. Sean almost falls from the cherry picker himself in an attempt to catch a flung child. The mother then turns and runs back into the fiery building. Tommy jumps from the cherry picker and goes after her. He eventually catches up with her, and after some tense moments, comes out the first floor door with the mom. Garrity and Lou also emerge with kids. As the paramedics examine the kids, they learn that all six of the rescued children plus the one that first was flung from the window are dead. The guys are devastated. "They were probably all gone before we even got here.", the EMT's tell the squad.

They go back to the house, broken and feeling like it was all for naught. The new chief brings them around and totally wins me over with a rousing speech about how they are all heroes despite how they feel right now, because they answer these calls every day and will keep right on answering them. This is why I love this show.

Later, Lou coaches the basketball team, led on the floor by new Sean, to an inter-squad victory using a pep talk in the huddle as ONLY Rescue Me would do it! That is ALSO why I love this show.

Then, there's what I don't love.. what I'm really about to cash it all in over. That would be Tommy and the crazy women in his life. Everytime Tommy's cell phone rings, I now say, "What crazy woman is this now?" Is it the daughter who only wants to pump him for money? Is it the depressed ex-wife who sits on the couch all day in her filthy house, ignoring her children, drugging her baby with Benadryl so he'll sleep and drinking? Or is it Crazy Sheila, calling again to beg Tommy to take his new baby from Janet (aforementioned depressed ex-wife) and hand it over to her??

Either way it goes, I'm just about done. I understand how events like the "baby fire" that opened the show can push a guy to the edge and move them toward life-pivoting choices. Lou cut his nymphomaniac nun loose. Franco contemplates whether to stay with his new fiance or go back to his daughter and Susan Sarandon, who his daughter now calls "mommy." Garrity confesses to Mike that he burned Mike's mom's house down.

But if Tommy throws this baby into the river, I'm done. I managed to get past last season's rape and still like this character. I's still not sure how. Really, I don't think he can or even that he will drown the baby. He's one screwed up boy with a lot of issues, yes... but in the end, he's still a good irish catholic boy. Handing the baby over to Sheila is insane, but I can see why he'd consider it given current curcumstances, and the closing scenes last week sure made us think that is what he would do. We'll see this week. Tommy??..... Please.... Just.... Don't.