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SizzleTV by Mark Stone
Courtney Cox is hoping to recruit her FRIENDS to Cougar Town (photo: ABC promotional)
I recall a few stories in the summer reporting that Courtney Cox was hoping to bring some of her fellow Friends cast mates over for a visit to her new show Cougar Town. Now that the show has taken off and has been picked up for a full season, the rumours are starting up again and Cox herself is the one responsible for all the hype.
How many members of the Friends cast do you think she can hunt down and lure into her Cougar den? I’m sure if Cox has her way we’ll eventually see all of them, but let’s start with the most probable and work our way down. First up: Lisa Kudrow. Though the I’s have not been dotted and the T’s have not been crossed, Phoebs will likely guest star opposite Cox in the next few weeks during November sweeps.
“If it all works out, she’ll play a dermatologist that my character can’t stop going to even though the doctor is mean to me. She’s the best in town at what she does and I become addicted,” Cox tells TV Guide. Kudrow is by far the best actress of the bunch and I’m still pissed off at HBO for cancelling her excellent short-lived comedy The Comeback. Kudrow’s appearance is sure to send the ratings through the roof, but probably not as much as a Jennifer Aniston cameo.
Is an Aniston appearance possible? Cox and Aniston are still good friends, and Cox isn’t ruling out the possibility. “I’d love for her to be on the show, too,” Cox says. “Obviously we can’t cast her so close to Lisa’s appearance but if there’s a great part for her, I’d send it right away. She’s younger than me so she can’t play my contemporary even though she did on Friends, but I think we can find something great for her to play.”
Next on the list is Matthew Perry, whom Cox has already asked to appear as her boyfriend on the show. “I did ask Matthew if he’d play my boyfriend on the show,” but he thought it was a little too much after Chandler and Monica.” Dude, isn’t that the point? Do it, man. Perry playing Jules’s boyfriend on the show would probably score the highest on the potential ratings scale.
Dexter’s killing in the ratings
Are you watching Dexter this season? If not, you’re missing what may be the most fast-paced season yet. Michael C. Hall keeps getting better as Dexter, and the writing and storylines always manage to stay true to the characters while not making any sacrifices in quality just for the sake of moving the plot forward. Now if they could only do something about Rita… I don’t know if it’s the character or the actress (Julie Benz), but whenever she’s on the screen you almost wish Dexter would turn on her and get her on his table. Minor quibbles…
Anyway, Sunday night’s show turned out to be the most watched episode of the program’s history. This is great news; it shows that all the devotees are hanging on while new converts keep joining in the fun.
As I write this bit, I’m multitasking with more research into the show and I’ve discovered that my wife and I are not the only ones who dislike Rita. Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker said in a recent interview that he believes Rita has got to go. Then I find another article that speculates… BIG SPOILER ALERT AHEAD… that we may get our wish.
In an interview with TV Guide Magazine, Jennifer Carpenter (who plays Dexter’s sister Deb but is married to him in real life) says, “Everything changes at the end of this season. Dexter will never be the same.” Carpenter even had to sneak onto the set to see what went down on the season finale (it airs on December 13). “Let’s just say maybe all of our trailers won’t be there next year.”
Do you think Dexter would kill Rita? December 13th can’t come fast enough.
Microsoft bails on Seth MacFarlane and his TV special
Two weeks ago, before the special was taped, Microsoft and FOX announced how pumped up they were to join forces in presenting a comedy special from Seth MacFarlane and Alex Borstein. After actually seeing for themselves what MacFarlane and Borstein had planned – which apparently includes “riffs on deaf people, the Holocaust, feminine hygiene and incest” – Microsoft has dropped its sponsorship of the Nov. 8 special.
The upcoming special was supposed to include jokes and songs referencing the new Windows 7 operating system. “We initially chose to participate in the Seth and Alex variety show based on the audience composition and creative humor of Family Guy, but after reviewing an early version of the variety show, it became clear that the content was a fit with the Windows brand,” a Microsoft spokeswoman told Variety.
Microsoft: MacFarlane’s special is too racy. Me: duh. Has Microsoft even seen an entire episode of Family Guy? Doubtful. Time for Apple to step in? That would be awesome.
What’s on tonight
It’s a relatively quiet night for good TV tonight, but there are still enough highlights to keep a television addict planted on the couch. On the big five networks, only four shows are airing new episodes: Dancing With The Stars, The Forgotten, Biggest Loser (with a special appearance by World Series bound Derek Jeter) and a two-hour So You Think You Can Dance.
Hockey nuts have two games to choose from – the Flyers taking on the Capitals on TSN at 4 pm and the Canucks home to the evil Red Wings at 7 pm on Rogers Sportsnet.
On latenight, highlights are: Garry Shandling and Paula Deen on Conan, Dr. Mehmet Oz on Jimmy Kimmell, the aforementioned Courtney Cox on Letterman, Alicia Silverstone and Salman Rushdie on Craig Ferguson, and Olivia Munn on Jimmy Fallon. Boys, don’t miss Olivia Munn. On the hot/funny graph, Olivia Munn is in the sweet spot right where the two lines intersect.
