And on that note…

1. Bravo’s “Platinum Hit” session

You’ve hopefully already read my open letter to Ms. DioGuardi about my disappointment with the way she handled the inevitable question about her departure from “American Idol,” but that wasn’t the only part about the panel that grated on my nerves. One of the other judges on this songwriting-competition series is Jewel, and…okay, first of all, let me acknowledge that I’m not really a Jewel fan and under threat of death wouldn’t be able to come up with a more recent Jewel song than 2001’s “Standing Still,” but even when it comes to artists I do actively like, I don’t enjoy it when they slip into braggadocio. After Jewel dropped these lines during the panel…

* “I was talking to Steven Spielberg…”

* “I bought my house from all my hits.”

* “Bob Dylan took me under his wing when I was about 20. My first record was considered a failure, but he liked it and he was like, ‘Don’t sell out, don’t change, don’t start doing grunge, just do what you do, stay on the road, stay solo acoustic.’ And I did because he believed in me. And Neil Young was the same way.”

…I pretty much tuned out. I’m sure Jewel’s a very talented songwriter, but as I walked away from the panel, it was more with the feeling that she’s much more talented at namedropping.

2. Oxygen’s session for “The Glee Project.”

Actually, I couldn’t tell you a thing that was said during the session. I was too busy looking at the mike girls – they bring you the microphones to ask questions, then take them to the next person when you’re done – who were dressed in cheerleader outfits for the panel. Yeah, it’s definitely time for me to get home to my wife…

3. Keith David talking about the development of his awesome voice during the panel for “The Cape.”

“I was always a second tenor,” said David. “I was never, you know, Alfalfa. But when about 13, and I was a singer before I was an actor, and all I could sing was loud, and certainly I came into this I came into that Alfalfa transition where all I could do…”

At this point, he switched into a wobbly voice… “is talk like that all the time.”

Back to his regular voice. “And then something began to switch, and now I sound like I sound, you know. I’m grateful to be here because I do get a chance to use all you know, in the first episode, I say I’m using my stage voice. Well, you know, I mean, that was one of the when I read the script, that was one of the funniest moments for me because it’s, like, when I’m auditioning for things, many times I’m told, ‘Can you tone that down a little bit? Can you bring that back?’ So this is one of the few times I’m not always told that. That’s kind of nice.”

4. The “Harry’s Law” panel discussing the age of the show’s star.

By the time someone asked about the fact that Kathy Bates is 60 years old, which is pretty elderly when you consider the demos that the broadcast networks tend to look for, she’d pretty well charmed most of the audience. First, she said she decided on doing the show because, in her character’s first scene, “she had her feet up on the desk, she was smoking pot, and watching ‘Bugs Bunny.’ After that, I was in.” Then, when asked if it was hard to sustain her character’s grumpiness, she admitted, “I come naturally to that. Not to be flip, but I can be a naturally grumpy person…and adjusting to the long hours on the set helped that right along!”

When the topic of age was addressed, which series creator David E. Kelley took it in stride. “Not many networks have come to me recently and said, ‘Can you give me a series with a 60-year-old lead?'” he admitted. “But I have to believe that, given the universe of 500-plus channels, there has to be room on the landscape for one. When we landed Kathy to play the character, (NBC) were beyond thrilled. You can say it’s one thing to have a 60-year-old lead. It’s quite another to have Kathy Bates as your lead. So they probably, with a grain of salt, said, ‘Gee, do we want a series with an older actor?’ But once it became Kathy, there was no hesitation whatsoever.”

5. The cast of “Community” offering a panel which was hilarious and yet defined the concept of “you had to be there.”

The only person not in attendance was Chevy Chase, who was described as being “very under the weather,’ but his co-stars more than made up for his absence. If I tried to tell you about it, though, you’d probably just stare blankly at me. Some of the funniness came from the giggling of the various panelists, some it involved one-liners which would require a lengthy amount of set-up for you to appreciate, some of it was totally visual, and…well, you get the idea. But it really was hilarious, I swear. The most easily-translatable moment is probably Donald Glover’s story about how they had to teach Betty White the lyrics to Toto’s “Africa” on the set. “I assumed she knew ‘Africa,'” he said. “I was, like, ‘Everybody knows that song!’ But, like, that song was out when she was already old. She was already 50-something.”

6. Asking various cast members of “Outsourced” which of their number was, upon discovering that viewers were digging the show, the first to yell, “Suck it, critics!”

Parvesh Cheena (Gupta) said it was Rizwan Manji (Rajiv). Rizwan said it was Parvesh. Both of them then tried to pin it on Anisha Nagarajan (Madhuri), who immediately looked as though she was going to cry. Ultimate presumption: no one actually said it, but all of them thought it…as well they should have.

7. Talking to Paris Hilton.

It was weird enough to have her walk past me on two separate occasions while I was on the phone with my wife (I swear, honey, she never had a chance with me), but it was thoroughly bizarre to score a few minutes in one-on-one conversation with her. It wasn’t quite as weird as talking to Kim Kardashian last year, since I could actually ask Paris about a variety of projects – her album, her movie with Jason Mewes (“Bottoms Up”), her “BFF” series for MTV – but it was still pretty odd to find myself talking to one of the most recognizable women on the planet. Oh, and if you’re wondering, she is indeed quite gorgeous in person.

8. Spending more time not interviewing Danny Pudi and Alison Brie than interviewing them.

God bless the publicist for “Community,” who recognized me and asked if I’d like to talk to some of the cast. I jumped at the chance, of course, and started into an interview with Danny and Alison…until Oscar Nunez of “The Office” came up. At first, I was part of a four-way, but I was quickly phased out as they continued to chat with each other. Then Yvette Nicole Brown came up and briefly joined their conversation. Finally, Danny and Alison returned and apologized for having gotten distracted…at which point Michael Ausiello and Matt Mitovich swung by. And then they left…and a few others folks popped in. Somewhere along the line, Donald Glover briefly jumped into the mix. I really can’t complain about any of these “guest stars,” though. The whole experience was a blast.

9. Jack McBrayer asking me not to record our end-of-the-party conversation.

When I approached the man who plays Kenneth the Page on “30 Rock” to ask him a question, he agreed, but then he looked down at my recorder and said, “Oh, my! You’re not going to record this are you? I’d rather you didn’t.” At this point, he performed a perfect mock aside, holding a hand to his mouth and whispering, “I’m a little bit tipsy!” So I turned off my recorder. Kudos to you, Mr. McBrayer. Would that more actors had that blend of good humor and common sense.

Best Drama: Friday Night Lights (Direct TV/NBC)

There was a lot of great drama on television this year (“Southland” was exceptional, “Lost” went out in glorious fashion, “Men of a Certain Age” was moving and effective), but I would be remiss if I didn’t place “FNL” at the top of my list, just where it has been since the show premiered in 2006. It’s hard to believe that this will be its last season. No other show has me cheering and laughing and crying week in and week out. Even during the cringe worthy moments (Julie’s affair with the TA) I can’t bring myself to raise the remote and fast forward through them. I’ve stated time and again on Popdose that this show is the most realistic portrayal of small town life I’ve ever seen on television, with beautifully written and acted characters, smart direction, and perfect music selections to create the mood of each scene (not to mention W.G. Snuffy’s poignant score). I love the Taylors; I love the community of Dillon, Texas; and I love Friday Night Lights.

Best Comedy: Modern Family (ABC)

A tough category. There are so many strong comedies on television right now, including NBC’s Thursday night lineup and ABC’s Wednesday shows. Of all of them, “Modern Family” makes me laugh the hardest; so hard that my wife and I have to rewind to hear the second and third jokes of each scene. With a great cast and insightful writing, “Modern Family” is a modern classic.

Best Reality: The Biggest Loser (NBC)

I generally hate reality shows on network television, however there is something truly inspiring about “The Biggest Loser” that grabs me every week. Here is a series about people seriously having to take back their lives otherwise they could die. The money at the end never seems to be as important as the health benefits they receive. Unlike most of the reality competitions shows, the inspiration that comes from watching “The Biggest Loser” occurs from watching every contestant, not just a select few. Obesity has overtaken our country and the men and women of “The Biggest Loser” prove that you can take back your life and that you are in control of it.

Best Supernatural/Sci-Fi: The Vampire Diaries (The CW)

Each week I think that the new episode of “The Vampire Diaries” is going to be just like every other teen soap; and each week I’m surprised that an hour has passed so quickly. “The Vampire Diaries” isn’t just about pale skinned heart throbs and the women they love; it wouldn’t work if it was just about some dude who pines for the human chick (like a certain book/movie series). With consistently written and well drawn characters, cinematic visuals and terrific acting, “The Vampire Diaries” is romantic, yes, but it’s also true to life with the way it handles human emotions. Most impressive is the pacing. Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, the co-creators,take their time developing their story arcs (something “The Walking Dead” should learn) allowing the details of their supernatural/small town world to filter out as needed.

Best New Show: Raising Hope (Fox)

This blue collar comedy may have had a high concept premise, but it quickly settled into one of the most delightful (and wacky) comedies on television. The way it handles parenthood and family with an abundance of laughs and heart have not only made Greg Garcia’s comedy my favorite new show, but easily one of my favorites of the year (the Halloween episode is already a classic). Newcomer Lucas Neff is a true comic discovery; Garret Dillahunt finally receives a chance in the spotlight after years on strong supporting roles, and Martha Plimpton reminds us that she’s one of the funniest actresses of her generation. All this, plus Cloris Leachman!

Best Animated series: The Regular Show (Cartoon Network)

Subtle and funny, creator J.G. Quintel’s show about a blue jay and a raccoon who work at a park, managed by a gumball machine and a yeti, uses animation like it should: with no boundaries. This isn’t some animated sitcom; “The Regular Show” is what I’d imagine “The Mighty Boosh” would be if the guys on that show were cartoons. Subversive and surreal, it’s a series that kids and their parents (and those stoners in college dorm rooms) can all enjoy for different reasons.

Best Comeback: the ladies of Hot in Cleveland (TV Land)

Viewers may have tuned in to TV Land’s throwback sitcom (taped before a live studio audience!) because of 2010’s “it” girl, Betty White, but they returned (making it a surprise summer hit) because of the chemistry and comic timing of the three leading ladies. We haven’t heard from Jane Leeves since “Frasier”; Wendie Malick has been relegated to thankless small roles on sitcoms and bad comedy movies ever since “Just Shoot Me” ended, and Valerie Bertinelli was known more for her Jenny Craig ads and her divorce from Eddie Van Halen. How great that all three shine in this sturdy, but very funny sitcom and that they don’t have to rely only Betty White zeitgeist to succeed.

Best Canceled Show: Rubicon (AMC)

At least AMC let this low-rated conspiracy series play out all of its episodes before they pulled the plug. “Mad Men” was good this year, but I was more excited to find out what happens next on “Rubicon” when Sundays rolled around this summer. James Dale Badge deserves another shot at being a star; it was great to see Arliss Howard again, and Michael Cristofer gave a scene stealing performance worthy of an Emmy.

Best Cast: Community (NBC)

The success of “Community” as a comedy series and a cult hit stems from the superior acting from their eclectic cast. It would be easy to credit the writing and direction, but without the right combination of actors to gel as a team and pull off whatever is thrown at them, the show wouldn’t work. Moreover, as the producers saw what they had in their cast of Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Danny Pudi, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alison Brie, Donald Glover and Chevy Chase, the stories got more outlandish as their trust in their cast grew. Season 2 has been even more insane and the actors haven’t missed a beat.

Worst TV moment of the year: Fred: The Movie (Nickelodeon)

As a parent, I was subjected to this monstrosity when my children wanted to watch it. You may say, “Dude, all you had to do was leave the room.” Nope, not possible. Fred’s voice carried throughout the house and drove me to the point of insanity. It would’ve have been nearly acceptable if the movie was even remotely funny. It was not. It sucked. It made me wish that Fred was at the tail end of the human centipede. Am I just being a grumpy old man out of tune with the youth culture? Well, my kids didn’t laugh either, if that tells you anything.

(NOTE: These musings can also be found at Popdose.com.)

You may recall from my Fall TV Preview that I said of the pilot for “Community,” “When I watched it, I was convinced that I was watching the funniest sitcom of the new season. I was not wrong.” Now, granted, I was predisposed to like the series before I’d even put the screener of the pilot into the DVD player – I’m a fan of Joel McHale’s work (I’ve got a TiVo season pass for “The Soup”) and Chevy Chase’s work in virtually every film that he made during the ’70s and ’80s (though, to be honest, the only film he’s done since then that I still enjoy revisiting is “Memoirs of an Invisible Man”) – but it certainly didn’t hurt seeing “Daily Show” correspondent John Oliver turn up in a meaty guest role within the first few minutes, and it didn’t take long for me to fall for the ensemble as a whole.

Here’s a rundown of the characters:

* Jeff (McHale), a fast-talkin’ lawyer whose degree has been revoked
* Pierce (Chase), a man whose life experience has brought him infinite wisdom
* Abed (Danny Pudi), a pop culture junkie
* Britta (Gillian Jacobs), a 28-year-old dropout with something to prove
* Troy (Donald Glover, a former high school football star trying to find his way
* Shirley (Yvette Nicole Brown), a sassy middle-aged divorcée
* Annie (Alison Brie), a high-strung perfectionist
* Señor Chang (Ken Jeong), a slightly unhinged Spanish professor

When I arrived at the TCA summer press tour, I was a man on a mission: to interview as many members of the cast of “Community” as I possibly could, so that I might do my damndest to get people to watch the series. Not that it necessarily needs my help, given the incredible promotional push that the network is putting behind the show, but, still, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen a sitcom that’s this funny and has this strong an ensemble from the word “go” (seriously, I think I’d have to go back to “NewsRadio”), and I wanted to do whatever I could to get the word out. In the end, I ended up chatting with five of show’s regulars during the tour (McHale, Pudi, Brown, Glover, and Jeong), catching up with two more by phone after making back (Jacobs and Brie).

Sadly, Chevy Chase was surrounded by hordes of my peers through his time at the tour, and attempts to secure a phoner with him prior to the run date of this piece were unsuccessful. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that we’ll be able to talk to Chevy sometime in the near future…and, y’know, don’t be afraid to drop NBC an E-mail and ask them to try and make it happen for us…but in the meantime, click here (or on the above graphic), then sit back and enjoy these conversations with the rest of the cast.

When you finish, I’ll be very surprised if you don’t run straight to your TiVo and order yourself up a season pass for “Community.” It’s that good. I swear. And if you don’t believe me, here’s proof:

Finally, check out Chopard, one of the most recognized watch and jewelry brands in the world.

The Jay Leno Show (Mon., Sept. 14 @ 10:00 PM, NBC)

The competition:
• Monday: “Castle” (ABC), “CSI: Miami” (CBS)
• Tuesday: “The Forgotten” (ABC), “The Good Wife” (CBS)
• Wednesday: “Eastwick” (ABC), “CSI: New York” (CBS)
• Thursday: “Private Practice” (ABC), “The Mentalist” (CBS)
• Friday: “20/20” (ABC), “Numb3rs” (CBS)

Starring: Jay Leno
Producers: Debbie Vickers, Larry Goitia, Jay Leno, Jack Coen, Stephanie Ross (“The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”)
Network’s Description: Marking a new era in television, Jay Leno, recently named America’s Favorite TV Personality by the 2009 Harris Poll, moves from late night to primetime on September 14 when his series becomes the first-ever entertainment program to be stripped across primetime on broadcast network television. The series promises more comedy in the 10 o’clock hour and will showcase many of the features that have made Leno America’s late-night leader for more than a dozen years.
The Buzz: About as mixed as buzz can be. This is the most controversial maneuver in the past several decades of television history, a Hail Mary by the people at the Peacock. It’s highly possible that the people who’ve abandoned “The Tonight Show” since the tall, skinny Irish kid took over have just decided to go to bed early for a change and are fully prepared to start watching their old buddy, Jay, in his new locale. Then again, maybe they won’t. It’s a crazy crap shoot, this series, and all that us critics can do is sit back and see what the viewers decide to do.
Pilot Highlight: None, obviously, due to the live nature of the show.
Bottom Line: If you like Jay Leno, you’ll like the show. If you don’t, you won’t. It’s really as simple as that. But will you watch the show? Leno has the right attitude by acknowledging outright that he doesn’t expect to beat original programming, only anticipating that they’ll probably start to take home the ratings gold once the reruns start. I like Leno as much as the next guy, but I like scripted dramatic programming better. For that alone, I’m not exactly rooting for him to succeed. But with that said, I’m mostly just curious to see what’s going to happen.

Trauma (Mon., Sept. 28 @ 9:00 PM, NBC)

The competition: “Dancing with the Stars” (ABC) “Two and a Half Men” and “The Big Bang Theory” (CBS), “Lie To Me” (Fox), “Gossip Girl” (The CW)

Starring: Aimee Garcia, Anastasia Griffith, Billy Lush, Cliff Curtis, Derek Luke, Jamey Sheridan, Kevin Rankin
Producers: Peter Berg, Sarah Aubrey, Dario Scardapane, and Jeffrey Reiner (“Friday Night Lights”)
Network’s Description: The first high-octane medical drama series to live exclusively in the field where the real action is. Like an adrenaline shot to the heart, the show is an intense, action-packed look at one of the most dangerous medical professions in the world: first responder paramedics. When emergencies occur, the trauma team from San Francisco General is first on the scene, traveling by land, by sea or by air to reach their victims in time. From the heights of the city’s Transamerica Pyramid to the depths of the San Francisco Bay, these heroes must face the most extreme conditions to save lives — and give meaning to their own existence in the process.
The Buzz: Although the instinct is to say, “So NBC closed the doors on ‘E.R.,’ only to kick off a new medical show,” the better point of reference here is the classic ’70s series “Emergency” (with Jamey Sheridan making his bid to be remembered as the Robert Fuller of his generation), albeit with the inclusion of the necessary soap-opera elements required by today’s audiences.
Pilot Highlight: Like the aforementioned series, it’s all about the accidents that led to the Trauma team being sent out, then the resolution of those situations, but the money shot here is definitely the helicopter crash.
Bottom Line: If they tone down the melodrama and keep the action ramped up as high as they do in the pilot, then the excitement may be enough to draw in an audience.

Mercy (Wed., Sept. 23 @ 9:00 PM, NBC)

The competition: “Hank” and “The Middle” (ABC), “The New Adventures of Old Christine” (CBS), “So You Think You Can Dance” (Fox), “America’s Top Model” (The CW)

Starring: Jaime Lee Kirchner, Taylor Schilling, Michelle Trachtenberg, James Tupper
Producers: Gail Berman (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel”), Lloyd Braun (“Accidentally on Purpose”), Liz Heldens (“Friday Night Lights”)
Network’s Description: A new medical drama about the lives of the people who work at Mercy Hospital seen through the eyes of those who know it best – its nurses. Nurse Veronica Callahan has just returned to Mercy Hospital from a tour in Iraq and knows more about medicine than all of the residents combined. Together with fellow nurses Sonia Jimenez, who turns the heads of everyone in the hospital, and Chloe Payne, a naïve newcomer who learns to deal with the difficulties of working in a challenging and sometimes unsettling profession, they navigate the daily traumas and social landmines of life and love both inside the hospital and out in the real world.
The Buzz: You’d think that getting bumped up to a fall premiere due to the postponement of “Parenthood” (as a result of star Maura Tierney’s medical woes) would be a good thing, but since the network had already put one medical show onto the docket, most people are rightfully wondering, “Isn’t it overkill to add a second one?” Yes, and it would’ve been even if “Mercy” was any good…which it really isn’t. There’s a whole lot of chatter about how nurses deserve your respect. Of course they do. But they also deserve to be better presented on television than they are here.
Pilot Highlight: Nothing immediately leaps to mind. Yes, seriously.
Bottom Line: How ironic that the last show to be added to the network’s fall line-up is likely to be the first one to depart it. If you must watch only one medical drama on NBC this year, be sure it’s “Trauma.”

Community (Thurs., Sept. 17 @ 9:30 PM, NBC)

The competition: “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC), “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation” (CBS), “Fringe” (Fox), “Supernatural” (The CW)

Starring: Joel McHale, Chevy Chase, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Yvette Nicole Brown, Danny Pudi, John Oliver, Donald Glover
Producers: Dan Harmon (“The Sarah Silverman Project”), Joe and Anthony Russo (“Arrested Development”)
Network’s Description: A smart comedy series about higher education…and lower expectations. The student body at Greendale Community College is made up of high-school losers, newly- divorced housewives, and old people who want to keep their minds active as they circle the drain of eternity. Within these not-so-hallowed halls, the show focuses on a band of misfits, at the center of which is a fast-talkin’ lawyer whose degree has been revoked, who form a study group and, in “Breakfast Club” fashion, end up learning a lot more about themselves than they do about their course work.
The Buzz: The mere fact that Chevy Chase has deigned to take a regular series role is enough to get people interested (not that his recent screen work has been that stellar, but after being burned by his talk show, you know he’d never return to TV unless he thought he really had something stellar), and McHale’s cult fanbase from “The Soup” is psyched at the idea of seeing their hero in a sitcom. Throw in the “Daily Show” fans who know Oliver’s value from his years as Senior British Correspondent, and people are chomping at the bit to see this added to NBC’s Thursday night comedy line-up.
Pilot Highlight: More than I’m prepared to count, but they include Abed’s recitation of “Breakfast Club” dialogue, the “Soup” in-joke of Troy referring to McHale’s character as “Seacrest,” and virtually every time John Oliver opens his mouth.
Bottom Line: When I watched it, I was convinced that I was watching the funniest sitcom of the new season. I was not wrong.