To fully appreciate this post, I'd like everyone to sing the Welcome Back, Kotter theme song. All together now: “Welcome back, your dreams were your ticket out…” Hmm, too young for the Sweathogs? OK, how about Eminem's “Without Me” instead? Ready: “Guess who's back? Back again…” Look, if you're too young for that one then it's time to go back to your carpet and finish nap time, m'kay? My point -- and I just might actually have one -- is that this week it's time to officially welcome back television. … continue reading

Need something to help you pass the time today or usher in the weekend? Look no further: Hulu.com is here.

The new video site from NBC Universal and News Corp was officially launched last week, and if you haven't checked it out yet, you're missing something marvelous. The TV shows — which are very high quality and mostly full episodes — are from NBC, FOX, and the various affiliated cable networks like Bravo, FX, Sci Fi, Sundance and Oxygen. And the site offers movies, too (yes, full movies). And all of this for free (with occasional commercials). On demand.

Do I sound amazed? I kind of am. Here are some of the things I've been salivating over so far. (One caveat: Hulu.com is only available to U.S. users. Openhulu.com, after it has been updated, will provide access to users outside the U.S.)

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Hulu has only Seasons 1 and 2 of Buffy right now, but what a great excuse to revisit the whole series from the beginning.

30 Rock

I can never decide who I love more: Tina Fey or Liz Lemon. Luckily, we don't have to choose.

Picket Fences

I loved this show when it first aired in the late '90s. Hulu has Season 1, including "Sugar & Spice," the episode in which Kimberly (Holly Marie Combs) kisses her friend Lisa (Alexondra Lee). I remember it well! … continue reading

Is there such a thing as entertainment gaydar? Recently I came across an old friend on Facebook, whom I hadn’t seen in over a decade. Over the years, I’d wondered if perhaps she was gay — and once she had added me as a friend, I'll admit that I clicked over to her profile, curious to see if there would be anything about her sexual orientation there. While there wasn’t anything explicitly stated, I did see with interest that she listed The L Word as one of her favorite shows, and Brokeback Mountain and Chasing Amy as two of her favorite movies.

Now, entertainment gaydar, like any other gaydar, is based on stereotypes — and thus is bound to be somewhat unreliable. After all, there are plenty of straight people who like both The L Word and Brokeback Mountain. (And, actually, I think disliking Chasing Amy is probably a clearer sign of being a lesbian than liking it.) Nevertheless, this whole episode got me thinking about what a person’s tastes in entertainment may or may not say about her sexual orientation. And, using the popular AfterEllen.com forum thread "I’m so gay/I’m so not gay" as an inspiration, I decided to see how my tastes would stack up in the “stereotypically lesbianish” department.

To start off with the “I’m so not gay” category (hey, I may as well get the bit that will make me unpopular out of the way first):

1. I'll admit it — I don’t totally get the Tina Fey thing.

The fact that scribegrrrl, Dorothy Snarker, and Sarah Warn are all fans is enough to convince me that I must be missing something here — and who knows, maybe one day I will see the light. But I’ve seen 30 Rock, and the thing that amused me most about it was Alec Baldwin. (Who, whatever else he may or may not be, is definitively not lesbianish.)

2. I don’t watch The L Word.

The women on The L Word may be gay, but I’ve discovered that that, in and of itself, isn’t enough to make me identify with or deeply care about them. A little good writing goes an awfully long way.

3. I think Desert Hearts is a snooze-fest. … continue reading

If it seems like Tina Fey is everywhere these days, well, it’s probably because she kind of is. Last week, she graced the cover of Vanity Fair to refute those ridiculous “Women Aren’t Funny” claims. This past Sunday, she was smiling up from your Parade magazine, cute as fresh-picked daisies. And, very soon, she’ll be delivering the funny in a theater near you with Baby Mama.

A new featurette for Tina and Amy Poehler’s odd-couple comedy hit the web recently, and the more I see, the more I can’t wait until April 25. The two-minute spot intersperses clips from the trailer with Tina and Amy talking about the film.

The two women play polar opposites who come together when white-collar Kate (Tina) hires working-class Angie (Amy) to be her surrogate. What ensures is what Tina calls “as close as you can get to seeing me and Amy in a movie version of Laverne & Shirley.” … continue reading

I don't think too much about dating, these days. I've haven't been single for a while and have no desire or plan to be single again. But when I saw Entertainment Weekly's list of “TV Characters You'd Date,” I asked my girlfriend and a couple of friends to play the who-would-you-date game. My girlfriend chimed in immediately with Dana Fairbanks. (I was not surprised. She's mentioned her before.) One friend led with Olivia Benson (Law and Order: SVU) and followed up with Tasha Williams (The L Word) and Diane Russell (NYPD Blue). The other shared that Kris Munroe (Charlie's Angels) was her first love (and the one against which all subsequent loves have been measured). And then she threw in Mary Bradford (Eight Is Enough) and C.J. Lamb (L.A. Law) for good measure..

And, of course, I made my own list. Which got very long. Here are but a few.

Liz Lemon — 30 Rock

This one is so obvious that I almost feel stupid explaining it. Smart is hot. Funny is hot. And hot is hot. Even though she might eventually send me looking for my own “lady Steadman,” I would not pass up the chance to date Liz Lemon.

Alice Pieszecki — The L Word

Once again, smart + funny + hot = an obvious choice. She's out and proud, and I like that in a woman. Alice did, however, have a lot of competition for my affections. On pure physical attraction (plus major smarts), I'd probably go with Bette. But she cheats, and I don't like that in a woman. Then there's Tasha. Swoon. And Carmen. Swoon. But I think I would laugh most with Alice, so there you go.

Alex Cabot — Law and Order: SVU … continue reading

Ever wondered what people with really high IQs do in their spare time? Neither have I. Well, OK, I have wondered what some of them do. To the point of distraction, in fact.

But whether you wanted to know or not, Fancast reports that MENSA chairman Jim Werdell watches about 10 hours of television every day. (The average American watches four and a half hours.) And apparently, the combination of high IQ and television addiction makes Werdell qualified to list the 10 smartest TV shows of all time.

I won't argue with No. 1, simply because my daddy's favorite television show was M*A*S*H and he was smart. That's good enough for me.

I'll also concede that Frasier, All in the Family and West Wing deserve spots on the list. (Dang, how much do you miss C.J.?) … continue reading

Think back: Were you feeling particularly down two Mondays ago? It’s proven scientific fact, or at least a well-publicized theory, that the third Monday of January is the most depressing day of the year, aptly dubbed Blue Monday by Cardiff University researcher Dr. Cliff Arnall. But here in the States, Jan. 21 fell on a holiday, and you can’t really be sad when you’re being paid to not work. So for me, yesterday was Blue Monday. It could have been the nonstop drizzle, or perhaps it was the holiday credit card bills that arrived and made me rethink the role of my internal organs. I mean, I have two kidneys when one could suffice. Perhaps it’s time that freeloader starts earning its years of room and board.

But instead of wallowing in my self-pity or Googling black-market kidney buyers, I decided to cheer myself up the old-fashioned way. No, not with a whole cheesecake and bottle of pinot. Instead I went with my favorite music, movies and TV shows. These old standbys are guaranteed to put a smile on, at the very least, my face.

Album: Ani DiFranco, Dilate

Now, I realize this selection seems counter-intuitive. Right now you’re all, “Uh, Ms. Snarker, that’s, like, an angry breakup album filled with personal demons and unrelenting angst.” True, true. But it’s also got some of the best F-you songs on the planet, not to mention some of the best music to sing to at full volume in the car, windows up or down because you are a righteous babe and don’t care who knows it. And if all else fails, just fast-forward to "Joyful Girl."

  … continue reading

As Joan Jett sings, "You don't know what you got till it's gone." That's how I've been feeling about TV lately — new episodes seem so very precious because you know each one could be your last.

Yes, I'm exaggerating, and even if there were no strike, I'd be eagerly anticipating 30 Rock. Tonight, Edie Falco makes her last appearance as Jack's Democratic dish.

Meanwhile, on Ugly Betty, "real women" take to the runway and Annie Potts (Designing Women) plays a psychic. … continue reading

Whenever I see someone with one of those “Kill Your Television” bumper stickers, I feel two distinct emotions. One, shut up, Smuggy McSmugerson. I bet you don’t read the copies of The New Yorker in your bathroom either. And two, yeah, sometimes I do feel like taking a 12-gauge to the old idiot box. This year I got my usual mix of joy and pain from my television. The highs were so very fantastic. The lows so very sucktastic. Here's a rundown of my top and bottom five TV shows for 2007.

Five I Loved:

1) 30 Rock: Everything about this show, well, rocks. It’s smart, funny, geeky and good to the gays — just like its creator, Tina Fey. She is the antidote to the mediocrity that keeps trying to choke our culture into submission. This show alone is reason enough to own a television. … continue reading

Yesterday, the American Film Institute selected its 10 best films and TV shows of the year. Nobody gets to vote — there are no nominations, no names submitted for anyone's consideration. You might call the lists unilateral. You could also call them surprising.

Here are the top films, in no particular order (er, in alphabetical order):

Before the Devil Knows You're Dead
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Into the Wild
Juno
Knocked Up
Michael Clayton
No Country for Old Men
Ratatouille
The Savages
There Will Be Blood

Laura Linney and Philip Seymour Hoffman in The Savages:

Atonement didn't make the list because only American films were considered ('cause, uh, it's the American Film Institute). Other current favorites, like Sweeney Todd, just didn't make it. Well, there's no accounting for taste. But isn't it weird to see Knocked Up and Juno on the same list? And right next to each other like that? I guess unplanned pregnancy is the new black. … continue reading

The nominations for the 2008 Golden Globe Awards were announced this morning, and there are many AfterEllen.com favorites among the nominees. Here are the highlights:

MOVIES

• Cate Blanchett, Elizabeth: The Golden Age
• Julie Christie, Away From Her
• Jodie Foster, The Brave One





• Angelina Jolie, A Mighty Heart
• Keira Knightley, Atonement

I'm thrilled to see Jodie on that list (especially considering the lukewarm reviews for The Brave One), but I'm even happier about Angelina's nomination. A Mighty Heart deserves a bigger audience, and Angelina deserves much more credit for her performance in it. I thought it was some of her finest work yet. Meanwhile, I can't wait to see Atonement — everybody's raving about it. … continue reading

We're back in our regular groove this week, bringing you fun television highlights (and clips!) from the last few weeks from shows like 30 Rock, Blood Ties, and Moonlight.

And don't think we ignored Sarah Shahi's lesbian kiss on Life!

We've bucketed this week's shows into categories in our vlog. Can you guess which category applies to which show, before you watch?

I'll give you one hint: Women's Murder Club gets "Most Improved" — we tell you why in the vlog, and show you a scene involving a lesbian character in a recent episode. … continue reading

I'm a geek worshipper. It's really a form of positive self-esteem, since I am kind of a geek myself. I always love to find women in entertainment who seem to be geeks, not only in the characters they play, but also in real life. GeekSugar.com shares that sentiment and has kicked off a poll of the most popular female geeks of 2007.

First candidate: Mary Lynn Rajskub, Chloe O'Brian on 24.

The pictures are from her spread in Geek Monthly earlier this year. Although Chloe is an übergeek on 24, always able to hack into secret data just in time to save Jack's life, Rajskub herself is not too technically savvy. But in my opinion, she has geek cred because she does things like appear as a troubadour on Gilmore Girls and volunteer for the Young Storytellers Program. I do have one geekish issue with Chloe & company, though. Are we really supposed to believe that a government agency is smart enough to use Macs? … continue reading

I know I can’t be the only one who was a little disappointed the subject line didn’t read “Tina Fey poses for Playboy.” But I digress, already. That’s, like, a land speed record. OK, seriously, back to Tina Fey and why she is the coolest straight woman on the planet. Bold statements, I make them. And Tina makes them too. In an interview for the January issue of Playboy, the 30 Rock star is her usual delightfully candid self.

Paula Abdul “was awful” on Saturday Night Live. Paris Hilton is “a terrible role model and a terrible young woman.” Jessica Alba “has an amazing, gorgeous body.” It’s like she is quoting from the Declaration of Independence: We hold these truths to be self-evident. … continue reading