Ask Matt

Matt Roush: I like this less-is-more theory and to some extent I agree with it, but it doesn't really matter what we prefer. If a network show is popular enough, it's almost never going to settle for producing a minimum number of episodes when the network and studio can squeeze out a maximum number of episodes to produce more back-end profit. That's the way the system works, at least for now, with network TV — as opposed to cable, where budgets and scheduling tend to favor shorter or split seasons. Lost is in a unique situation, because of its pre-determined end date and the decision to only air it for half a season, but there's no doubt the current season appears to be as powerful as it is because there's so much forward momentum and so little padding. Many shows probably would benefit with tighter focus, and watching Eli Stone take advantage of its shorter mid-season run with a fully developed arc, it felt a lot like a superior cable series. I'd like to see more network shows developed on that model, but I'm sure that can be a hard sell. Besides the business side of the equation, there's also the fact that the TV audience is a greedy one, and if a show takes off the way Desperate Housewives and Grey's Anatomy did (to name a few), the impulse is to make more, not less, to feed the appetite.

Matt Roush: I empathize — well, maybe not with the "vast wasteland" sentiment, which is overstating the case a bit — but I'm pretty sure ABC knows by now how many of us feel about the rotten way they handled Men in Trees since it was put on its initial long hiatus midway through its first season, permanently and fatally stalling its momentum. Venting never hurts, so I'm glad you wrote them. But it doesn't really change anything, at least not where this show is concerned. There's no realistic chance that anyone would resurrect it, but as Michael Ausiello reported, at least the show will get to play out its final episodes starting May 28, and the producers were realistic enough about their chances for survival that they filmed a series-finale ending. Many shows never got that chance, so that's the silver lining (such as it is) to this dark cloud.

Matt Roush: So why are you comparing them, exactly? They both live in the genre of the fantastic and high concept, but are so distinctive individually I don't really see the point. One is an epic mystery adventure in which action is informed by character, revealed through flashbacks and flash-forwards and other manipulations of time. The other is an epic science-fiction quest that, as it has developed, has grown increasingly interior as it addresses the nature of humanity through spirituality, mortality, evolution, politics and war. I can't really fault the writing and acting on either show. They're both so staggeringly ambitious, and if you find one more satisfying than the other, that's a matter of personal taste and not really worth sparking an either-or debate. I don't pretend to understand absolutely everything going on with either show these days, and I'm OK with that.

Matt Roush: Still a lot of mail coming in on this polarizing topic, much of it less negative in nature after last week's episode, which most would have to admit was pretty terrific even for those who find the Rebecca-Justin storyline bothersome. Which again is why I detest the whole "jump the shark" game. This show is proving that one problematic storyline doesn't ruin an entire series, and while I think the burgeoning Rebecca-Justin relationship is "sensational" in mostly wrong ways, it is more than compensated by recent developments in the Kevin-Scotty relationship, Saul's wrenching coming-out scene, and the personal dynamics between Sarah, Tommy, Saul, Nora, Holly, etc., where the rescue of the Ojai business was concerned. This is still first-rate entertainment, and Emily VanCamp's performance tends to elevate the material, even when it's as ridiculous as Justin's hissy fit upon discovering she'd lied. I've seen this Sunday's season finale, and it's a winner, just a lovely hour of TV, regardless of any ambivalence I and others might have about the whole Justin-Rebecca thing. To the show's credit, it is confronting the awkwardness head-on, and by the end of the episode [Spoiler Alert], there's another bombshell that's going to knock the family and the show for yet another loop. To Katie's point about the actors having more chemistry than George and Izzie on Grey's Anatomy: That's a given. I'll still probably never agree with how this all played out, but Emily is a marvel in every single encounter: with Nora, Sarah, even Justin. More on this, I'm sure, after everyone has digested the finale, which I recommend very highly.

Matt Roush: I'm sure you're not alone, but I'm sure you almost can't be surprised that a show taking such a revisionist look at this beyond-iconic character and mythology will stir enormous passions with every decision it makes. For everyone who's bitching, I'm sure there are just as many who are happy that the CW is continuing the ride for at least one more season. And as you noted in comments I edited out for space, the griping about Clark-and-Lana has been going on almost since the very start of the show. Nothing new there.

Matt Roush: From what I understand, Sarah Jane aired in the UK as a series of 10 half-hour episodes (as usual, edited down a bit for U.S. cable broadcast) comprising five two-part serials (not counting the hourlong premiere). The scheduling is a bit unusual for Sci Fi, but given the younger demographic this family-friendly sci-fi show is aiming for, I like to think of it as being somewhat in the tradition of the classic '60s Batman series, with built-in cliffhangers that carry us over to the next episode.

Matt Roush: I don't know how your DVR works, but the listings it's recording from should be reflecting the overruns of these shows. That's how it works in my market, although sometimes I lose the last minute or so of a live broadcast (usually an American Idol recap) if it runs over the previously scheduled time. (Rarely has this resulted in losing the actual reveal of a Dancing or Idol elimination.) If this is an ongoing problem, I'd suggest setting manual recordings for shows like these, allowing a few extra minutes on the back end to be safe. The reason for these overruns is a no-brainer and is designed for those people who aren't time-shifting (many people still do watch TV in real time.) By extending a hit show like Dancing with the Stars past the hour, the theory is that fans will be less likely to switch to the competition with a show already in progress, with the hopes they'll stay tuned to the network and be more likely to sample whatever follows. It's all about old-school greed and strategy, and it has been going on for years.

Matt Roush: As always in these cases, I'm not sure I'd tell you even if I knew. This isn't a spoiler column. But I'll tell you what makes sense to me. Since it's no longer a secret that the writers are moving toward bringing Mer and Der back together, by consequence Rose will no longer be as central a presence once they resolve the current triangle. But as last week's elevator scene revealed (with McDreamy sharing a ride with past and present love interests), there are some nicely awkward moments to be had in a hospital where there are so many skeletons of past relationships lurking. While it's quite possible Rose will be "phased out," I'd like to think she'll still be around Seattle Grace as a reminder. After all, how many surgeries did she assist in before anyone even knew she was alive? I'd be shocked if they'd elevate her to a part of the regular ensemble. What would be the point?

Matt Roush: I guess the question lurking here is whether the Lindsay Lohan casting will work a similar magic for Ugly Betty as the Spears stunt casting (with a reprise of the character on Monday) did for Mother. Let's hope so. Ugly Betty deserves the boost. It's still a joy, and getting Lohan (tabloid notoriety aside) on board is something of a coup. It would be nice, of course, if it pays off creatively as well. No reason to think it won't.

Matt Roush: As anyone will tell you, and one of the reasons writers love working in the medium, is how quickly things can turn around on a weekly TV show. To generalize wildly, the way it often works in a case like this is that as writers break stories, they occasionally develop a storyline and character with a specific guest star in mind (in this case, Lohan), and once the offer goes out, the press catches wind of it. And if things work out, as it did here and with Britney Spears on Mother, there's really no time to waste. These shows are machines that are constantly cranking, and that's especially true as they race to the sweeps finish line during this bizarrely truncated season. I can't say for sure if these particular scripts were completely ready to go by the time these deals were struck, but they were probably pretty close, because they went into production awfully quickly. Which, again, is how it works.