TV is the New Reading

‘Supernatural’ on TNT,

but first, how hot is

Khandi Alexander?!

In this week’s topic, I share some news about “Supernatural” on TNT, “Doctor Who” and “The Closer” finale, but first, Catherine from ‘90s sitcom “NewsRadio” is still incredibly HOOOOOTTTTT!

Khandi Alexander took on what I hope will be a recurring role as research scientist Lem’s mom in ABC’s “Better Off Ted,” which I hope will be an ongoing series.

All through her work on Tuesday’s entry I was thinking, “I know her. I know that wonderful voice from somewhere.” And I can’t remember what the line was, but it was while Lem was confronting her about her sleeping with a rival research scientist (and keeping him awake all night in the adjoining room) that I realized “That’s CATHERINE!”

I understand she’s spent several seasons in “CSI: Miami,” where I can only imagine she was brilliant, and now that she’s in her 50s and still as sexy and beautiful as ever, it’s good to see her back in comedy, because she’s got a gift for timing, she’s got one of the best voices in television and … honestly, have you seen her? She’s incredible!

Anyway, she plays a brilliant theoretical scientist who has nothing but contempt for her son’s work at what she calls “The Crap Factory,” where he’s a brilliant researcher in his own right, just that he’s generally asked to create commercially viable versions of everyone’s random ideas, so he’s sort of in a no-win situation. That is, he can be as brilliant as he wants to be but what he’s asked to do is create better-smelling versions of existing products, inviting his mother’s contempt. Even the satellite he programmed wasn’t geosynchronus so she wouldn’t even look up at it. But there was a nice bit of reconciliation at the end of Tuesday’s show, so I do hope we’re going to be seeing more of her.

The Closer

“The Closer’s” fifth season finale brought in Mary McDonnell to reprise her recurring role as Capt. Sharon Raydor, who is in charge of investigating officer-involved shootings.

This got a little dancy as Raydor asked Major Crimes to look into a domestic abuse situation involving one of her officers, but to do so really discreetly. So Kyra Sedgwick’s always brilliant Deputy Chief Brenda Leigh Johnson conducted an interview with the officer who refused to press charges. Her next step, since the subject was uncooperative and she was told to be very discreet was to have officers canvass the neighborhood. But when the victim’s husband turned up dead from apparent self-defense in another officer-involved shooting, Raydor and Chief Pope come down on Brenda like a ton of bricks, demanding to know why she didn’t do more to prevent the incident. As Brenda’s investigation continues, however, she finds she’s got bigger fish to fry closer to home.

The season ends with the possibility that hubby, Fritz, is up for a promotion and that he and Brenda might be moving to D.C. This could work, in that oddly enough, none of her team has much of any ties to L.A., so a good portion of them could come along if the writers want to take it in that direction. Or she could go with him alone, but her delicious Southern accent doesn’t make her stand out in D.C. nearly to the extent it does in L.A.

Of course, she was specifically hired by Chief Pope to be in charge of Priority Murder Squad, later Priority Homicide Division, now Major Crimes Division. Would the D.C. police need someone with her beautifully articulated skill set to get nearly anyone to say nearly anything? I can’t imagine she would do anything but prosper their fortunes.

Whatever direction they go with this, I for one am looking forward to the summer return of “The Closer.”

Doctor Who

The BBC America’s “Doctor Who” spectacular is in its second of three weeks. Last week they aired “Waters of Mars,” the end of which David Tennant has taken the Doctor to kind of a dark, meglomaniacal place. This weekend they aired “The End of Time Part One” with John Simm reprising his role as The Master. They air the conclusion, “The End of Time Part Two” at 8:30/7:30c Saturday of next week, following a three-day marathon of “Doctor Who” episodes beginning this Thursday night at 11 p.m. So if you’ve ever missed an episode of “Doctor Who” since the series returned with Christopher Eccleston in 2005, next weekend is the weekend to pick it up. Also premiering immediately following, something called “Demons,” about which I’ve heard almost nothing. More on that after I’ve gotten to see it.

Supernatural

Also kicking off in the new year is “Supernatural.” Which reads a bit weird since the show is in its fifth season on the CW. But starting Jan. 4, following syndicated products of the former WB “Angel” at 6/5c and 7/6c in the a.m., and “Charmed” at 8/7c and 9/8c in the a.m. comes the latest coup, “Supernatural” at 10/9c in the a.m.

And while I’m looking forward to being able to take in that show from its pilot episode, I haven’t seen more than like half an episode of “Supernatural” ever.

So in keeping with my practice of tracking down people who can provide better insights than my own into shows I don’t watch, I’m joined by Rod Erdahl, copy editor at The Minot Daily News.

Rod, you told me you’ve been watching “Supernatural” since it started airing in the fall of 2005 on the WB. TNT is airing the series Monday through Friday mornings at 10/9c from the pilot episode. What can people expect to see in that production?

Rod Erdahl: “Supernatural” is an engrossing horror story about demon-hunters Sam and Dean Winchester and their roadtrip on the battleground between heaven and hell, where they encounter everything from ghosts, vampires, witches, urban legends and of course, demons.

Although it is truly scary, it blends the hair-raising moments with wise-cracking wit. Some of the best one-liners on TV come from older brother Dean. Sam and Dean are played by Jared Padalecki, and Jensen Ackles, both of tweener TV fame, and soap operas, I think. Sam and Dean’s constant brotherly tug-of-war also provides much of the drama of the series.

The first season of “Supernatural,” the Winchesters search for the demon responsible for their mother’s horrific death, and also for their missing father, a demon-hunter with legendary skills, tools and secrets.

“Supernatural” also features some of the best classic rock-’n-roll throughout the series, along with one of the coolest classic cars, Dean’s ’67 Chevy Impala.

It’s a nice break from the normal teen fare that comes from the WB, with smart writing, very decent acting and deceptively simple sets, lighting and effects. You could almost call it “X Files”-lite, but it certainly stands apart as a horror show with humor.

TJA: Rod, as you told me you watched the show religiously since the pilot episode, but it surprised you, initially.

RE: Well, the great thing about it for me was that I didn’t initially plan on watching it at all. It didn’t seem like something I’d be interested in from the previews. They were kind of vague on the previews, initially. … But like I said, the older brother, Dean, has got the best one-liners on TV, and I’ve seen a lot of these shows. I’m talking between “The X Files” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” and any show that’s done by Joss Whedon, it’s not as constant, where one character’s always cracking jokes, but … they’re good.

TJA: The show is now in its fifth season. Is it the sort of show you need to have watched from the beginning to get into it?

RE: One thing about this story is that it’s one of those where if you don’t start from the beginning, there are certainly some shows you can watch that stand alone, like the random story like they did with “The X Files,” they have those, but the underlying story arc, the way you’ll get into it, with the brothers’ relationship and their whole destiny, so to speak, and as demon-hunters … if I told you anything about the fifth season it would ruin everything, because it’s the final season, and they’re wrapping things up from Show One.

TJA: If you were to sum it up in a sentence … go for it.

RE: “Supernatural” is a great ride, so grab some popcorn, and don’t forget the salt.

TJA: Sounds like something people should tune in and check out.

RE: Definitely.

Thank you, Rod, and again, that’s “Supernatural,” premiering in weekday syndication at 10/9c Monday, Jan. 4, and also returning in its fifth and potentially final season – the producers are reportedly closing out the main story arc for the series at any rate – with new episodes Jan. 21 airing Thursdays at 9/8c p.m. on the CW.

As for me, I’m riding out the Christmas blizzard of 2009 under a couple feet of snow, wishing you and yours a happy 2010, a shiny new decade we’ve managed not to have messed up too terribly much as yet. Enjoy!

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