Television

By CAROLINE E. RUSE
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
The people of Lantana, Fla., rarely see snow. But that hasn't stopped homeowner Phil Imbrieco from having a white Christmas.

Imbrieco creates his own winter wonderland by spray-painting his yard white and then filling it with Christmas decorations.

By ROB OWEN
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Prime-time series that premiered less than two months ago continue to fall victim to the cancellation ax, so the replacements are already being called on to join the schedule.

After just three weeks, CBS canceled heist drama "Smith" and this week replaces it with the anti-"Smith," "3 Lbs." (10 p.m., EST/PST, Tuesday), another plot-driven, procedural "House" clone.

Already this fall we've seen two House-as-a-lawyer shows ("Justice" on Fox and "Shark" on CBS), but "3 Lbs." doesn't even bother to take the brilliant-but-socially-inept-professional concept out of the hospital.

Stanley Tucci stars in "3 Lbs." as brilliant neurosurgeon Doug Hanson, who compares the inner workings of the brain to "wires in a box." Hanson treats patients with the same callous disregard a computer technician would treat a machine ("3 Lbs." refers to the average weight of the human brain).

Enter his new protege, Dr.

By TIM GOODMAN
Monday, November 06, 2006
Everything we know we learned from television:

_ So they killed Mr. Eko off of "Lost" when it might have been a better idea to, say, kill some of the writers.

By SHELLEY ANDERSON
Friday, November 03, 2006
When it showed up on my desk, I thought it might be a mistake.

A package from cable station TBS was hawking a new original comedy series called, "My Boys."

Just as I was about to send it on to the proper department, a little bit of eagle-eyed reporting turned up a sports connection.

The sitcom revolves around a female sports writer named PJ who covers the Chicago Cubs for the Sun-Times.

I decided I'd watch the DVD containing two episodes because, um, well, I thought I might like to see some shots of Wrigley Field.

They were there, including a few press box and locker room scenes.

But there were a lot more bar and poker night scenes.

Like people who work in other professions, it's always interesting to see how the entertainment industry portrays reporters.

Too often, they show up in single-minded, breath-stealing packs.

By TERRY MORROW
Thursday, November 02, 2006
You could write a hit song just off the backstage drama from this year's "Country Music Association Awards" (8 p.m., EST/PST, Monday, Nov. 6, ABC).

Female Vocalist of the Year nominee Sara Evans is in the middle of a messy divorce.

Entertainer of the Year nominee Keith Urban is in rehab.

Troy Lee Gentry, half of Vocal Duo of the Year nominee Montgomery Gentry, has been in trouble with authorities over shooting a bear.

Then there's folks like Dolly Parton, who's still doing jokes about her breasts at age 60; Kenny Chesney, who was married to Renee Zellweger for all of about 15 seconds last year, and husband-and-wife team Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, who have been outspoken with criticism of the current administration and the war in the Middle East.

Regardless, the show goes on.

Brooks and Dunn are hosts for the evening, coming live from Nashville.

By TERRY MORROW
Thursday, November 02, 2006
With "The Class," Jason Ritter is facing one of his fears.

For years he resisted doing a sitcom because he anticipated comparisons to his late father, John Ritter.

By DUSTY SAUNDERS
Thursday, November 02, 2006
My name is Dusty Saunders and I approve this message: I've watched numerous nasty political commercials through the years, but the current midterm election campaign has set a new, tacky standard when it comes to disgusting personal attack ads by candidates.

By ROB OWEN
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Fox persists in airing annual "Simpsons" Halloween episodes after the holiday, but regardless of poor timing, these spooktaculars have become an annual event for fans, always eager to see what trilogy the writers will concoct.

This year's "Treehouse of Horror XVII" begins well, but diminishes as it goes along until the final installment turns into a didactic downer commentary on the U.S.

By DAVE MASON
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Doughnuts are no longer enough for Homer Simpson.

Instead this man is broadening his horizons _ literally _ by devouring the good and not-so-good people of Springfield in the "Treehouse of Horror XVII." The annual scary "Simpsons" episode will chill the air at 8 p.m.

By TERRY MORROW
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Andre Benjamin looks as if he might have just stepped out of a cartoon.

With his brightly colored pants, his straw hat and whimsical smile, the 31-year-old hip-hop star, half of the duo Outkast, is wildly expressive.