There’s a lot of voting going on around here these days — and I’m not even talking about the presidential primaries. From the Hot 100to the NewNowNext Awards, to the Best. Lesbian. Vlog. Ever., and the Best Character on TV Tourney that Malinda opened our eyes to, I am spending even more time clicking on random websites than I do watching TV (and that’s more telling about my social life these days than I care to admit.) So, who needs another random and unnecessary list/award/tournament/poll to vote for? Apparently I do.

If you’re like me, the head over to EW.com where they are currently accepting nominations for TV’s Best Chemistry. The relationship between Seeley Booth and Temperance Brennan (played by David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel, respectively) on Bones seems to be the catalyst for the contest, but I think we can all agree on the fact that some lesbionic relationships are much needed additions to the competition.

Seriously, how awesome would it be if enough of us went over to their site and flooded the comments with Sapphic suggestions? To get you started, here are a few of my picks:

Bette and Tina (The L Word)

I’m sure some of you will cry foul for using TiBette as my L Word couple rather than Alice and Dana, but the heat these two emitted during season 5 cannot go unnoticed. Jennifer Beals and Laurel Holloman continually deliver some of the most believable sex scenes in the whole show. Their chemistry is what brought the show to life in its inaugural season and has played a vital role in the success of the show as a whole. These two are the glue that keeps the show together.

It’s do-or-die time on American Idol, and I can happily say that Syesha Mercado is still alive and kicking. While most Idol “experts” (and even some judges) will tell you that the finals should come down to a battle of the two Davids, I’ve been hoping for a small miracle that would allow Syesha to strut her stuff into the finals. Last night she may have gotten her opportunity.

The show was split up into three pseudo-rounds: In the first round, songs were chosen by a judge, in the second the contestants chose their own songs, and lastly the producers made selections.

Photo credit: FOX

For boy-wonder David Archuleta, the evening resulted in mixed reviews. Paula Abdul chose “And So It Goes” by Billy Joel for his first song, and Randy Jackson said he was completely “in the zone.”

Photo credit: FOX

David’s personal choice was possibly the most interesting of the season, singing “With You” by Chris Brown. Though it’s definitely the first time he’s tackled something that’s even remotely targeted towards his age bracket, it didn’t necessarily make it a good decision. Simon Cowell’s assessment of the situation (like a chihuahua acting like a tiger) was right on the money. Lastly, the judges had him sing “Longer” by Dan Fogelberg. Bor-ing.

Last week's Grey's — "The Becoming" — started off with an unexpected appearance by Preston Burke, Seattle Grace's former heart surgeon. And what was the occasion? He won a very prestigious medical award: the Harper Avery. Forgive me if I am not jumping for joy. Not only do I have obvious beef with real celebrity, but I never could get behind his character, either.

Dr. Torres and Dr. Sloan are still sleeping together (yuck) and Alex wants his (not really) pregnant girlfriend — Ava/Rebecca — to move in with him. Izzie, being armed with the knowledge that he didn't really knock her up, has obvious problems with that idea. Meredith and Derek have a new patient for their trial — a soldier in the U.S. Army.

George, Izzie, Lexie and Meredith are crowded around the article about Dr. Burke and discussing what Christina might think about it when — guess who — walks up. Izzie unsuccessfully tries to hide the clipping, but Yang sees it anyway and immediately walks away, becoming unwaveringly stoic for the majority of the episode.

The nurses have boycotted all of Dr. Sloan's surgeries because of his sleazy tendencies, and the nurses' union rep — who happens to be the chief's ex-wife, Adele — forces the hospital to institute a new "Date and Tell" policy, requiring all employees to report, in writing, which other employees they have slept with.

Next we found Dr. Yang in the morgue, where she was banished by Dr. Hahn to harvest hearts for research. When Lexie unsuccessfully tried to check on her, Yang started singing "Like a Virgin," which was possibly one of the funniest things she has ever done in any episode. I thoroughly enjoyed that scene, even though I found it a little creepy as well.

I love sports. I really, really do. I played three different sports competitively at different point in my life, and I started attending football games at my dad's alma mater when I was so young that I barely even knew which team to cheer for. More recently, I've lived in the heart of the SEC where the head football coach is the highest paid state employee, and spotting the place kicker on campus is text-all-your-friends type of news.

But even when surrounded by all the over-commercialized glitz and glamour that comes with revenue-generating college sports, my real heart lies with (usually sparsely attended and barely noticed) women's athletics.

So, imagine my delight at the discovery of MSNBC's compilation of the best female athletes in 16 different sports. While their inclusion of poker still has me scratching my head, they do include several other under-the-radar sports that always seem to be left out. Additionally, they appear to actually have some knowledge of the sports they select from.

Rather than simply choosing the most popular athlete in each sport, they have done their research in selecting the best from each. Check the list out for yourself for the full rundown, but here are some of my favorites:

Best WNBA player: Lauren Jackson

The blond Aussie — who turns 27 on Sunday — was drafted No. 1 overall by the Seattle Storm in 2001 and has remained with them ever since. In those seven years, she's a two-time MVP award winner, holds the WNBA record for most points (47) in a game, and was declared the Defensive Player of the Year in 2007. So, not only can she shoot, but she can block and rebound as well? Impressive. Oh, and did I mention that she posed for 2005's Sports Illustrated Swimsuit edition?

We all know about the writers' strike. It happened. It's over. Our shows have finally come back to us, and regardless of the shortened seasons, we're grateful. So why is it still relevant?

Well, besides the lingering financial impact it's having on crew members, the strike also seems to be hampering the ratings at every network. ABC, CBS and NBC have seen sharp double-digit drops in their viewership over the past month, and not even May sweeps can save them.

No one is immune from the decline. Not only did highly rated shows Grey's Anatomy and Ugly Betty see their lowest ratings ever last week, but usual ratings juggernaut American Idol is feeling it, too. Despite holding the top two spots in weekly ratings consistently, Idol is not bringing in viewers like it did in the past. AOL News reports that Idol producers are even surveying viewers to determine which changes they would like to see in the program in an effort to give it a much needed makeover before Season 8.

And then there was one — one female that is. Brooke White left us last week, leaving Syesha Mercado as the only female remaining on American Idol for Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame week.

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

I have to say, if someone had told me that the last girl standing would be Syesha, I would have told them they were crazier than Paula Abdul. And then I would have been wrong. It goes to show you how much I know.

Last night, contestants chose songs from the Hall's 500 Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll, and in the wake of Paula-gate, the judges went back to their normal format of critiquing them after each performance. It's too bad, really. Last week was so entertaining.

The resident rocker — David Cook — started off with "Hungry Like the Wolf" by Duran Duran, which kind of surprised me. I had him pegged for some Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin or at least the Rolling Stones. Perhaps he should have started off with one of those, because all three judges gave him lukewarm praise at best.

A few weeks ago, I blogged about EW.com's list of "50 Actors We'd Watch in Anything," and among the lovely ladies they chose was Rosario Dawson.

As luck would have it, she has a few projects coming up this summer that you can catch her in. Scifi.com recently announced NBC Universal's acquisition of a new web series called Gemini Division that will star Dawson as a New York detective. The series will be comprised of 50 episodes between three and four minutes in length, with a compilation video coming every 10 days to catch any newcomers up on the action.

There's no word yet on how frequently we can expect each webisode, though I would expect it to be fairly frequently if we will need a recap video every week and a half! Here's the series' description from NBC.com:

Rosario Dawson (Sin City) stars as NYPD Homicide cop Sara Marquez in this emotional drama set in a futuristic world. When Sara's fiancé is killed, she discovers a microchip in her engagement ring that sets her on a journey into a biotech underworld filled with genetically fabricated life forms called Simulants. She locates the Gemini Division, who are trying to reclaim all the Simulant chips and eradicate these rogue terrorists. From the producers of the highly-acclaimed Afterworld online series, Gemini Division will engage viewers with a dramatic story with a dash of scifi, as well as a completely immersive and interactive online world filled with bonus content and new mysteries to unravel.

Sadly, it appears as though she will not be playing for our team, due to the whole fiancé plotline, but that most definitely will not keep me from watching.

Oh boy, was last night's episode of Grey's Anatomy a doozy, or what? Between staring at the returning gorgeousness of Kate Walsh and shushing my roommates (they're chatter-boxes!), I almost missed all the (not-so-sub) subtext in the episode.

The day starts off with a bang. Addison is back, Ava (Elizabeth Reaser) is pregnant, and MerDer's new clinical trial is in full swing. Except Addison mistakenly thinks nothing has changed, Karev blows Ava off, and the trial patient (tumor guy from last week) is getting worse. Uh oh.

The case Addison has returned to work on is the medically improbable patient of the day: A pregnant woman whose in-utero baby will be born with its heart on the outside of its body, and it seems as though half the doctors in Seattle Grace on working on the case.

Before I get into the mayhem that was last night’s show, I would like to first lament the unfortunate and untimely loss of Carly Smithson. I admittedly didn’t see that one coming. But, such is the life of an Idol fan.

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Plus, I can always find solace in the knowledge that she will certainly be putting out a record of some sort within the next year or so. And I have faith that this one has to be better than her first one.

Now, let’s get to the task at hand. Last night’s American Idol can best be summed up by quoting Simon Cowell: “This is officially the strangest show we’ve ever done.”

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

With Neil Diamond mentoring and only five contestants left, this week marked the first of the season where we get to hear more than one song per person. That fact alone is standard, but where they decided to shake things up was in the judging. At the beginning of the show, Ryan Seacrest announced that the judging would be held off until after each contestant sings both songs song. Fair enough. And so, the singing began.

While the fate of several of my favorite "young" television shows hangs in the balance, I revel in the fact that some of my other favorites are still going strong. Case in point: Law & Order: Special Victims Unit will air its 200th episode tonight.

Photo credit: NBC/Mitchell Haaseth

SVU will become just the third current network prime-time drama to reach the century mark twice, joining the original Law & Order and ER in that category.

Though I tend to celebrate birthdays and landmarks with behavior unfit for print, the bigwigs at NBC ring in this Very Special Episode with an A-list guest star: Robin Williams. "Authority" will feature a ripped from the headlines story in which Williams plays an engineer named Merritt Rook who scams a restaurant manager (Scott Adsit, 30 Rock).

When asked about working with the Oscar-winner, SVU star Mariska Hargitay told TV Guide: "I think about some of the guest stars we've had, and it really is a milestone working with such a genius. It makes me so proud that he wanted to do our show. Look how far we've come!"

In addition to current (Hargitay, Diane Neal) and past (Tamara Tunie, Stephanie March, Michelle Hurd and Judith Light) series regulars, the show has a knack for attracting exquisite female guest stars. While fellow AfterEllen.com blogger Ace may disagree with me, I love seeing the fresh faces each week.

The effects of the writers' strike are finally dwindling down this week, as many of our favorite shows are back on the air with new episodes. Such is the case for Grey's Anatomy, as last night it aired its first new episode, "Where the Wild Things Are," in four months.

When we last left the docs, it seemed as though every relationship was falling apart. Meredith and Derek were on the outs, and it appeared as though Derek was going to start seeing Rose, a nurse. Izzie and George had finally halted their ill-fated attempt at a relationship after George's cheating broke up his marriage to Callie. Dr. Bailey's husband, fed up with always coming second in her life, left her after she canceled yet another date. Mark "McSteamy" Sloan had failed multiple attempts at getting with Seattle Grace's newest heart surgeon, Erica Hahn, and Lexie (Meredith's sister turned intern) was just trying to figure out where she fit into the whole equation.

All photos courtesy of ABC

The episode opens to images of sleeping residents — well, all but Meredith, who is sitting silently in a therapy session. Cut to new roommates Lexie and George (doesn't that guy get to stay anywhere for more than a few months?), and the living conditions aren't exactly pretty.

After a mass page, Meredith, Izzie and Christina race to the hospital, mumbling about a contest, about which Bailey denies all knowledge to Chief Webber. What is said contest? Don't worry, we don't know either.

We're halfway through the finals on American Idol, and yet I feel as though we've been watching these "singers" for months. Oh, wait. We have been. (It's amazing how much they can stretch out these seasons!)

On our first Kristy Lee–free (thank goodness!) night, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber was the mentor, and his songs were the theme.

The top six contestants with Andrew Lloyd Webber

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Kicking it off in the opening time slot was Syesha Mercado, and she looked absolutely stunning.

Photo credit: Frank Micelotta/FOX

She sang "One Rock 'n' Roll Too Many" from Starlight Express. All three judges sang her praises, and I wholeheartedly agreed with them. For the first time all season, I felt like she showed personality in her performance. According to Paula Abdul, theater is Syesha's "thing," and it definitely showed. Simon Cowell even called it "sexy!" (Look closely at 4:08 to see Allison Janney in the audience!)

It seems as though the Law & Order franchise is having a hard time keeping its actors these days. The Criminal Intent series has had three different female detective counterparts for Chris Noth's character since 2005, and last spring the original series lost Fred Thompson to his failed (phew!) presidential campaign. Then, in late February, RENT alum Jesse L. Martin announced that he was also leaving the series after eight seasons. Now, TVGuide.com is reporting that Diane Neal, who plays Assistant District Attorney Casey Novak on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, will be stepping down at season's end.

Photo credit: Virginia Sherwood/NBC

Citing "new opportunities," Neal will be leaving her post as the second ADA on SVU after five seasons. She came onto the show in 2003 following the staged death of Stephanie March's character, Alexandra Cabot. It has not yet been revealed how Novak will be written off the show, but I sincerely hope she isn't killed off. If I am denied the possibility of her coming back — even for one episode — I will be one very unhappy lesbian.

When thinking of Neal's character, one particular episode from season 7, "Blinded" comes to mind. While prosecuting a schizophrenic rapist, Novak's hard exterior softens because of the history with her former fiancé's schizophrenia. Near the end of the episode, Det. Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) realizes what she has done and confronts her; Novak shows no remorse.

If you follow American Idol even half as close as I do, then two things must be true: you have a lot of free time, and you are already aware how much the men have been overshadowing the women this season. I have been trying to avoid talking about the guys too much because, frankly, I don't want any of them to win. But, alas, it seems unavoidable this week.

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Idol has now endured its first true “ shock ” elimination as Michael Johns left the competition last week. But, I have a problem with the use of that word whenever someone undeserving receives the least votes. Let's face it, folks, all but one contestant will eventually be eliminated; there is no “shock” value in that fact. Michael, as good as he was, was not going to be this season's Idol, so I don't think a week or two's difference here or there in the elimination process makes much of a difference.

But, onward to those who are still in the competition. As promised, Mariah Carey came back this week as the mentor, and I was thoroughly disappointed in the song choices by most of the contestants. Perhaps it was deemed “safer” to avoid some of Mariah's most popular singles, but I still wanted to hear them. Where was “Dreamlover” or “Against All Odds?” Oh well.

Photo credit: Michael Becker/FOX

Starting off the show by singing one of the few recognizable songs was David Archuleta with “When You Believe,” and he was totally rockin' some leather (pleather?) pants. Simon gloated about knowing that David would choose this song, and I can't decide if that's a good thing for him or not. Regardless, it was definitely one of the best performances of the night. (Watch it here.)

The good folks at EW.com recently released a list of the "50 Actors We'd Watch in Anything" in two parts. As usual for this type of thing, the list was dominated by men — there were only 18 women listed. But I do have to give them kudos for selecting stellar actors.

Kate Winslet, Rosario Dawson, Joan Cusack and Allison Janney

I actually agreed with the majority of the list. And — wait for it — they even included an out lesbian in Cherry Jones!

Jones with partner Sarah Paulson

Admittedly, I don't get to the movies as often as I'd like. I think I have only actually gotten to the theaters once in the past month. So it might be a stretch to say I'd watch these ladies in "anything." I like to think I have standards in some area of my life. I would prefer to call the list "50 Actors That Would Allow Us to Not Hate Ourselves for Paying $9 to See This Crappy Movie."