With the solstice on the horizon, it’s time to prepare for the inevitable heat, excess of bugs and an abundance of women in bikinis. (Okay, perhaps that last one isn’t too bad!) But, for me, it also signals the beginning of several months over-advertised television marathons and late night re-runs.

Personally, I have to agree with Amy Wilkinson over at Entertainment Weekly on a few of her choice picks. I, too, am a sucker for Law & Order or ANTM marathons. In fact — in the interest of full disclosure — I vividly remember blowing off studying for a final my sophomore year of undergrad in favor of spending nine hours listening to Det. Benson degrade perps and Det. Munch cynically out-snark everyone in the squad room.

Lucky for me, I don’t always have to wait on marathons to find an excuse to sit in front of the boob tube for hours on end. Take Scrubs, for instance. The quick, quirky sitcom is one I admittedly didn’t catch onto until way too late, but its ridiculous level of syndication means that I have now seen every episode. And yet, it still doesn’t get old; take this clip for instance:

How cute is it that they harmonize in that song? Seriously, though, Scrubs is one of the only (straight) shows on television that so frequently, accurately and hilariously weaves gay and lesbian references into the fabric of its show. That’s worth tuning in for, as are these women:

Sarah Chalke, Judy Reyes and Christa Miller

Additionally, I catch my fair share of old episodes of Home Improvement and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air because, apparently, I have a penchant for '90s television families. … continue reading

I read an interview with Glenn Close last week as she prepared to start filming the second season of Damages.

Even though I had kind of an up and down relationship with Damages last year, I really wish it were on now. I miss it. I suppose that could sound a little pathetic, but I’ve never been one to apologize for watching TV. If you think television’s a waste of time, good for you. Just don’t call me during Grey’s Anatomy, mmkay? Yes, I already miss Grey’s. But how could I not, the way it ended?

The shows I miss the most, though, are shows that aren’t coming back – at least not with new episodes. The passing of comedy legend Harvey Korman last week made me nostalgic for one of my favorites, The Carol Burnett Show. Genius.

Burnett’s show actually was part of a Saturday night trilogy. I can’t think of one without the other two. On first was The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The classic episode, “Chuckles Bites the Dust,” was named the best episode in sitcom history by TV Guide. … continue reading

So, as I mentioned in the L Word recap this week, today is my last day as an AfterEllen.com staffer. (I just have a new job; there's no big drama here.) I'll miss this place! To commemorate the day (yes, I'm commemorating myself — so?), here are some goodbye scenes and songs that say farewell better than I ever could.

The Way We Were, final scene

It's the laughter we'll remember. And the greatness of Barbra.

Casablanca, "We'll always have Paris"

We'll always have AfterEllen.com. Somehow that doesn't have the same ring to it.

The Carol Burnett Show, "I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together" … continue reading

Tonight on TBS (9:00 ET), Ellen DeGeneres recreates the magic of variety shows. If you love The Carol Burnett Show, Sonny & Cher or even American Idol, you'll probably enjoy Ellen's Really Big Show.

I'm definitely looking forward to this. When I was a wee thing, variety shows gave stars the chance to be artists in a broader sense. They could just do their thing — not necessarily the thing they were most famous for, but whatever they wanted to explore. Yeah, sometimes they chose to explore plate-spinning and finger puppets, but nowadays that might seem refreshing. They just don't make 'em like The Shields & Yarnell Show anymore. Not to mention Barbara Mandrell and the Mandrell Sisters (Irlene!) or Pink Lady and Jeff.

Ellen's star-studded show features Mary J. Blige, Barry Manilow and Sheryl Crow, but presumably no WGA members or pet adoption agencies.

Here are some sneak peeks: … continue reading

I really like my Entertainment Weekly subscription. It was a total suckered-in kind of thing. I got the “free trial” that I was going to cancel before the not-free period began. Right. But I enjoy the magazine, and I particularly appreciate the subscription when I learn of fun things — such as the Entertainment Weeky/TV Land special The 50 Greatest TV Icons, scheduled to air this Friday night.

I'll be out of town on Friday night, but my DVR is already set. I love me some TV and I want to know who is crowned the Greatest TV Icon of all time. I know who I'd pick: Kermit the Frog.

Unfortunately, I suspect that Kermit will not be number one because he's pictured in the listing in the magazine. Where would the suspense be then?

But let's watch a video of TV icon Kermit singing his iconic song, “The Rainbow Connection,” with punk icon Debbie Harry — just because it's fun. … continue reading

Sometimes a show is so bad that it just won't go away. The Jerry Springer Show, for example, has been on for 17 seasons — truly a source of pride for American television. But some shows are subject to mercy killing much more quickly, like Viva Laughlin, canceled after two episodes. Many TV watchers, including AfterEllen.com's own Sarah Warn, called Viva Laughlin the worst show in the history of television. Was it? Chicago Tribune responded with its list of the "Top 25 Worst TV Shows Ever." But, of course, I beg to differ. Take Petticoat Junction, for example.

Granted, the only thing I actually remember from the show is the cutest little dog ever (the original Benji) running beside the Cannonball Express as it rolled down the tracks to the junction. But I can sing the theme song by heart, so it's definitely part of my psyche. And, face it, how can a show centered on a single mom and her three gorgeous daughters possibly be one of TV's worst shows?

The Tribune also lists Mama's Family. Now, first of all, this show was based on characters developed on The Carol Burnett Show. Anything with the slightest relationship to Carol Burnett is automatically disqualified from "worst" anything. Take a look at this outtake clip from a sketch with Mama and Eunice. … continue reading

Who was your first celebrity crush? I had four early crushes — I'm not entirely sure which came first. They were Maria from Sesame Street (Sonia Manzano), Julie Andrews, Sandy Duncan and the incredible Carol Burnett.

That last one was pretty strong. My mom likes to tell this story: She took me shopping for shoes when I was four years old. There were several pairs of shoes with cartoon and TV characters on them, and she suggested I get some Bert & Ernie shoes. I considered this, then asked, "Where are the Carol Burnett shoes?"

This week, PBS gives me a chance to renew my crush: Burnett will be profiled on American Masters. The show's website has a fascinating timeline of Burnett's long career, which started with summer stock in 1951; continued on with the award-winning The Carol Burnett Show, Mama's Family and numerous Broadway shows; and is still going strong (she guest starred on Desperate Housewives last year). … continue reading