SueTube – Let’s talk TV with critic Susan Young

James, you sly dog.

James

At first, I thought Todd was the guy to beat. But James, you’ve got some serious game. You’ve already snagged both immunity idols and when it came to tonight’s showdown, you showed gambler Jean-Robert how to hold your cards.

I was sure you’d play the immunity idol, which would have been a win-win for the other tribe members. If you played the immunity idol, they would have gotten one idol out of play and the obnoxious J-R would have been out.

And I think I noticed a little fear factor in your face when at one point, you thought you might have overplayed your hand.

We ponder so many mysteries of the universe in this episode. Why do people still trust Todd? And why, oh, why is Courtney chosen for challenges. She’s got neither strength nor brains.

In tonight’s challenge, teams had to try and pour enough water into little boats to sink ’em. Of course, they put the lightest teammember in the boat so that it would take more water. Peih-Gee, Frosti, Erik, Courtney went up against Jean-Robert, James, Todd and Amanda.

Courtney not only failed to bail, she also kept her boat right next to the bucket brigade.

Todd bailed like a pro, and even Amanda stayed out of the way of buckets of water. But Frosti and Courtney ended up in the soup.

Todd and Courtney

Courtney couldn’t figure out how to stay away from the competition’s bucket brigade as she quickly got sunk in her boat. And in round two, she could barely pick the bucket up to bail water into the competition’s boat.

Then Courtney won the tailor-made challenge: Sitting quietly on a suspended barrel with no movement.

“I am lazy,” she proudly proclaimed. Finally, a challenge you can win. All you have to do is sit there and do nothing.

With J-R gone, James has a big target on his back. How will he play this one out?

Goofy Jean-Robert is out

So who’s next?

Between the strike and the fires in SoCal, even Jack Bauer didn’t have a chance.

Fox announced today that “24” would be delayed so the planned rollout of all 24 episodes without interruption could still be a happening thing. They also offered up a tentative winter/spring schedule in the event the writers’ strike continued.

(By the way, if you haven’t checked it out, we’ll give a silent prayer to the L.A. Times which whipped up this schedule about how many shows have been shot, etc.)

Of course, Fox knows “American Idol” will keep them afloat during the tough times no matter what. And we’ll probably get even more of all those weeks of tryouts. For goodness sakes, they could probably run the tryouts every day through the end of the season.

But we’ll hope they don’t.

“American Idol” returns with a two-night, four-hour premiere on Jan. 15 and 16. But it won’t be all reality shows. The impressive “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” will air on Jan. 13 and 14, and the creaky “New Amsterdam,” about an immortal, shows up on Feb. 22. “Gilmore Girls” creator Amy Sherman-Palladino has “The Return of Jezabel James” in March, the Farrelly Brothers’ comedy “Unhitched,” and “ER” alum Julianna Margulies comes back to TV in “Canterbury Law.”

But the rest is a laundry list of reality programming.

The new schedule is subject to change, pending resolution of the strike.

TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES: Again facing relentless Terminators that will stop at nothing until 15-year-old John Connor (Thomas Dekker), the future leader of the resistance, is eliminated, Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) stops running and starts fighting back against fate and the machines that are out to get her son. The show also stars Sumnmer Glau as John’s classmate, the fearless, otherworldly Cameron; and Richard T. Jones as FBI Agent James Ellison.

UNHITCHED: Executive-produced by the Farrelly Brothers, this single-camera comedy revolves around four unattached friends who actually want to be married and must navigate the tricky waters of dating in their 30s. The series stars Craig Bierko, Rashida Jones, Johnny Sneed and Shaun Majumder.

THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES: From Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, this comedy stars Parker Posey as Sarah, a successful children’s book editor who reconnects with her estranged and free-spirited younger sister Coco, played by Lauren Ambrose. The series also stars Scott Cohen as Sarah’s no-strings-attached boyfriend, Marcus; Michael Arden as her loyal and slightly terrified assistant, Buddy; and Ron McLarty and Dianne Wiest (in a recurring role) as the girls’ meddlesome parents, Ronald and Talia.

NEW AMSTERDAM: This drama series tells the story of a brilliant and enigmatic New York homicide detective, John Amsterdam (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), who has a profound secret: He is immortal, and will not age until he meets his one true love. Also starring are Zuleikha Robinson as Amsterdam’s new partner, Eva Marquez; Alexie Gilmore as Dr. Sara Dillane; and Stephen Henderson as Omar, Amsterdam’s sole confidant.

CANTERBURY’S LAW: From the producers of “Rescue Me,” this courtroom drama centers on rebellious defense attorney Elizabeth Canterbury (Julianna Margulies), who’s willing to bend the law in order to protect the wrongfully accused. The series also stars Aidan Quinn (in a recurring role) as Canterbury’s husband, Matt; Ben Shenkman as her colleague Russell Krauss; and Keith Robinson and Trieste Dunn as Chester Grant and Molly McConnell, the associates rounding out Canterbury’s legal team.

THE MOMENT OF TRUTH: Game show that puts contestants to the test – the lie detector test – to reveal whether or not they are willing to tell the truth for a chance to win half a million dollars. The new game show is hosted by Mark L. Walberg.

WHEN WOMEN RULE THE WORLD: Set in a primitive, remote location, this unscripted series explores what happens when a group of strong, educated and independent women, tired of living in a man’s world, rule over a group of unsuspecting men used to calling the shots.

FOX JANUARY THROUGH MAY

MONDAY

Monday, Jan. 7:

7:30 PM-CC ET ALLSTATE BCS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

(LIVE)

Mondays, beginning Jan. 14:

8:00-9:00 PM PRISON BREAK

9:00-10:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

(Time Period Premiere)

Monday, March 3:

8:00-9:00 PM WHEN WOMEN RULE THE WORLD (wt)

(Series Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

Mondays, beginning March 10:

8:00-9:00 PM WHEN WOMEN RULE THE WORLD (wt)

9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)

***************************

TUESDAY

Tuesday, Jan. 1:

8:00 PM-CC ET ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL (LIVE)

Tuesday, Jan. 15:

8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 1)

Tuesdays, beginning Jan. 22:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Time Period Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE

Tuesdays, beginning April 1:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL

9:00-10:00 PM HELL’S KITCHEN (Season Premiere)

***************************

WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, Jan. 2:

7:30 PM-CC ET TOSTITOS FIESTA BOWL (LIVE)

Wednesday, Jan. 16:

8:00-10:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL (Season Premiere, Part 2)

Wednesdays, beginning Jan. 23:

8:00-9:00 PM AMERICAN IDOL

9:00-10:00 PM THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (Series Premiere)

Wednesdays, beginning March 12:

8:00-9:00 PM THE MOMENT OF TRUTH (Time Period Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM AMERICAN IDOL

9:30-10:00 PM BACK TO YOU (Time Period Premiere)

***************************

THURSDAY

Thursday, Jan. 3:

7:30 PM-CC ET FEDEX ORANGE BOWL (LIVE)

Thursdays, beginning Jan. 10 (No changes to lineup):

8:00-9:00 PM ARE YOU SMARTER THAN A 5th GRADER?

9:00-10:00 PM DON’T FORGET THE LYRICS!

***************************

FRIDAY

Fridays, beginning Jan. 4:

8:00-9:00 PM BONES (Time Period Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM HOUSE (Time Period Premiere)

Friday, Feb. 22:

8:00-9:00 PM BONES

9:00-10:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM (Series Premiere)

Fridays, beginning March 7:

8:00-8:30 PM ‘TIL DEATH (Time Period Premiere)

8:30-9:00 PM THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES (Series Premiere)

9:00-10:00 PM NEW AMSTERDAM

Fridays, beginning April 11:

8:00-8:30 PM ‘TIL DEATH

8:30-9:00 PM THE RETURN OF JEZEBEL JAMES

9:00-10:00 PM CANTERBURY’S LAW (Series Premiere)

***************************

SATURDAY

Saturdays, beginning Jan. 5: (No changes to lineup)

8:00-8:30 PM COPS

8:30-9:00 PM COPS

9:00-10:00 PM AMERICA’S MOST WANTED: AMERICA FIGHTS BACK

11:00 PM-Midnight MADtv

Midnight-12:30 AM TALKSHOW WITH SPIKE FERESTEN

***************************

SUNDAY

Sundays, beginning Jan. 6: (No changes to lineup)

7:00-7:30 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES

7:30-8:00 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES

8:00-9:00 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Sunday, Jan. 13:

7:00-7:30 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only)

7:30-8:00 PM VARIOUS COMEDY ENCORES (West Coast only)

8:00-9:00 PM TERMINATOR: THE SARAH CONNOR CHRONICLES

(Series Premiere)

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Sunday, Feb. 3 (Super Bowl Sunday):

6:00 PM ET SUPER BOWL XLII (Approx. 4 hours, LIVE)

Approx. 10:00 PM ET HOUSE (Original episode; guest star Mira Sorvino)

Sundays, beginning March 2:

7:00-7:30 PM COMEDY ENCORES

(West Coast only on 3/2 due to NASCAR)

7:30-8:00 PM COMEDY ENCORES

(West Coast only on 3/2 due to NASCAR)

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM UNHITCHED (Series Premiere)

Sundays, beginning April 13:

7:00-7:30 PM COMEDY ENCORES

7:30-8:00 PM COMEDY ENCORES

8:00-8:30 PM THE SIMPSONS

8:30-9:00 PM KING OF THE HILL

9:00-9:30 PM FAMILY GUY

9:30-10:00 PM AMERICAN DAD

Dennis Richmond is back at his desk, and the people at KTVU couldn’t be any happier.

Dennis returned on Friday to anchor the 6 and 10 p.m. newscasts.

“I watched him and thought he was back 100 percent (after his neck surgery),” KTVU-Channel 2 news director Ed Chapuis says. “He looks good and his voice is strong.”

Dennis said in an interview with Alameda Magazine back in 2006 that he was looking at spring 2008 as a target date and that doesn’t seem to be changing although Ed says nothing new has been announced.

“Look, we all retire at some point,” Ed says. ” But we haven’t made a statement about Dennis yet.”

As for Mark Curtis, who was ousted as the early morning anchor at KTVU in favor of L.A. anchor Dave Clark, Ed says he hopes viewers will give Dave a chance.

“Mark has made the transition from anchoring to reporting. He’s still working here at KTVU and still using his skills to the best advantage,” Ed says. “Dave Clark just started last Thursday and has only been on for four mornings so far. I think he looks terrific and like a part of the team.”

Ed says he understands that viewers might not like the change, but it was done in an effort to improve the newscast.

“If you are watching KTVU news, you see a lot of people who have been here a long time,” Ed says. “I think we do the best job of covering local news in the Bay Area, but we are always looking for ways to improve our coverage and that includes adding people who have the experience and the level of quality of a Dave Clark.”

What in the world has happened to “Heroes”?

Yeah, I’m late jumping on the critic wagon wondering how such a good series could go so terribly wrong. Call me an optimist, but I kept thinking it would get better. Instead, I’m hoping the writers’ strike gives the scribes some time to rethink this entire season.

Tonight’s aptly named “Out of Time” did nothing to make me want to extend my stay in “Heroes” land.

First, the Irish adventure could not have gone worse. Maybe it was the whack Irish accents, or the lack of crackle between Peter and Caitlin, but tonight when they were split up I found myself cheering.

And Peter’s amnesia? I’m so over that. Then we have the baring Peter’s chest to the world at least once an episode. Nice the first time, but tonight just made me yawn.

Could there be less passion between Katie Carr as Caitlin and Milo Ventimiglia as Peter Petrelli? — NBC Photo: Chris Haston

Thank god the wonder twins didn’t pop up again. The black-eyed death has seeped through the fourth wall and into my living room, making me want to curl up and die every time I see them on the screen.

Claire Bear has become unbearable. Daddy, if you can kill and abduct people, then I can at least have a boyfriend. Oops. Sorry he killed you daddy, but gosh I need my independence. Claire Bear, and her twisted little boyfriend West, must go.

The whole Molly-Matt-Suresh triangle has turned into My Two Dads, the Twilight Zone edition. Suresh has lost his sex appeal through this little daddy adventure, and Matt’s just trying too darn hard. As for Molly, well, we won’t knock child actors but perhaps this wasn’t the most inspired casting.

Sendhil Ramamurthy as Mohinder Suresh, Adair Tishler as Molly, Greg Grunberg as Matt Parkman — NBC Photo: Chris Haston

And just when we think we’ve finally gotten rid of Kensei, he pops up as the mysterious Adam. Adam’s the guy we’re all supposed to fear, the one really going after the people in the Company. Apparently, Hiro’s little frolic with his princess has left this immortal spending centuries nursing a grudge.

David Anders as Kensei — NBC Photo: Justin Lubin

Lord, make it stop now.

How could this series go from my No. 1 pleasure to this?

Next week, we’ve got Kristen Bell back. As much as I hate to admit it, my Veronica Mars didn’t add the much need punch “Heroes” needed when she popped up the first time.

The episode goes back four months earlier to answer some questions. Nathan pays a terrible cost for his heroic actions. While Peter survives his detonation over New York City, the Company “bags” him as a threat to the world, eventually leading to violent confrontation with Elle (Kristen Bell) and the Haitian (Jimmy Jean-Louis). D.L. (Leonard Roberts) makes the ultimate sacrifice for Niki (Ali Larter) and Micah (Noah Gray-Cabey). Maya (Dania Ramirez) horrifically manifests her dark powers for the first time, driving her and Alejandro (Shalim Ortiz) to America for help. A mysterious, yet familiar face is introduced.

Coincidence or just sloppy casting?

A lot of people have commented on just how many SoCal folks are competing in this season’s “Amazing Race” – but the real news comes from Nikki who says that four of the competitors all went to high school together.

Not only are most of them from socal, I went to high school with Nathan, Staella, TK, and Rachel…we all graduated in 2001 (TK in 2002) all from Fountain Valley High school. They all know and have known each other well for the past ten years…it’s kinda odd that the AR went with that dynamic, maybe it will make for some interesting situations/rivalries/alliances…maybe not.

One thing’s for sure, the former high school classmates never let on that they knew each other.

Teammates Ari Bonias (front) and Staella Gianakakos (back)

Staella and her partner Ari got the bad sport of the night award after they stole the cab that was called by another team. But the two got their come-uppance when they tried to get their donkey moving.

Turns out that Staella and Ari acted like asses, and a fuzzy brown donkey decided to be the instrument of karma.

Nathan also hit the spotlight as the guy who thinks he has the worst partner ever in this race. Although he tried to make it up later to girlfriend Jennifer, it was obvious he thinks she’s a slacker who can cost him the game.

Jennifer Parker (back) and Nathan Hagstrom (front)

TK and Rachel have been dubbed “The Hippies” for this round, and they seemed to be nice enough people, although they did little to stand out in the first episode.

TK Erwin (standing) and Rachel Rosales

We’ll never know if Staella would have revealed her connection to TK, Rachel or Nathan, because she and Ari came in dead last and were elminated from “The Amazing Race.”

Brian Williams became the first network anchor to host “Saturday Night Live” and he kicked booty.

During a “SNL” sketch, Brian Williams imagines a new opening for the “NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams”

Yes, it would appear Mr. Williams has a second career in his future if he so chooses. And let’s face it, he was probably seen by more viewers last night than he gets in an entire week of anchoring the NBC “Nightly News.”

Williams, a former volunteer fireman, plays Bronx firefighter Paul Dooley, who gives safety tips to “Bronx Beat” hosts Betty Caruso (Amy Poehler) and Jodi Dietz (Maya Rudolph). NBC Photo: Dana Edelson

There were plenty of critics who felt that Williams was risking his gravitas creds by hosting, and more importantly, taking part in sketches. I believe Williams has finished the gig with his gravitas fully intact. Williams is a news man, but he’s a news man who doesn’t take himself too seriously when he’s away from the anchor desk.

Williams took part in six sketches, from playing a laconic Publisher’s Clearing House winner to mocking himself as a network anchor. The latter had him greeting people outside his office, waiting for people to recognize him. When someone thinks he’s Stone Phillips, Williams says, “Close enough.”

From an SNL Digital Short detailing a day in the life of Brian Williams — the NBC anchor practices the ‘ancient art of meditation’ as visions of rock superstar Bono repeat “Looking good Brian… you’re way cooler than me… I’d do anything to be you.” — NBC Photo: Dana Edelson

I like the way he showed himself to be a pretty funny guy away from the anchor desk. How we judge him as an anchor should be from the years he’s been doing a solid job, not the 90-minutes he spent hosting a late-night show.

Also stopping by the show on Saturday was Presidential candidate Barack Obama, who played himself in a sketch set at a Halloween party at his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton’s house where he arrived in an Obama costume.

(l-r) Darrell Hammond, Amy Poehler, Sen. Barack Obama. Dana Edelson/NBC Photo

In case you missed that sketch, here it is courtesy of YouTube:

Our favorite “Office” blogger Jennie Tan of Palo Alto scored in the first “The Office” convention in Scranton, held Oct. 26 to 28.

The Tanster was as much a celeb as the folks from the series, with a blogger fan giving her a parking sign for Dunder-Mifflin with her name on it. She was featured in a TV news story.

As you know, Jennie and Angela Kinsey of “The Office” did a SueTube talking about the show. Jennie’s an amazing woman who clocks in way too many unpaid hours on her Web site.

To find out everything you ever wanted to know about “The Office,” check out officetally.

Next week on “The Office,” –After Ryan (B.J. Novak) excludes Michael (Golden Globe winner Steve Carell) from a corporate wilderness retreat, Michael heads into the woods for his own survival adventure with nothing but the suit on his back. Back at work, Jim (John Krasinski) tries to revolutionize the office birthday party.

Rainn Wilson (Dwight) and John Krasinski (Jim)

There seems to be little hope that a strike beginning at 12:01 Monday by the Writer’s Guild of America can be averted.

But before they do, Bryan Fuller and his scribes were busy Thursday night and on to Friday morning trying to finish one more “Pushing Daisies” script.

“We’re desperately trying to finish one last script before we are instructed to put our pencils down,” Bryan said at midnight. “We want to keep our crew employed as long as we possibly can, but don’t know how long that will be. ”

“Desperate Housewives” will shoot the tenth script next week, and then the well is dry.

And the truth is, according to producers like Bill Lawrence of “Scrubs,” if the work stops for a couple of weeks or even a month, it’s not going to do much damage.

Scripts have been stockpiled and, while November is a busy month, some specials bounce network programs off the air anyway. We won’t be seeing “Pushing Daisies” until Nov. 14 because of the Country Music Awards. And the lights go out for much of the month of December.

“The only thing that can really screw up everything is if it’s like it was in 1988 when it went on for 22 weeks,” says Lawrence. “And then you’re talking about drastically altering this TV season as well as the next one. ”

For “Scrubs,” there are two, perhaps three, scripts that have been completed and could be shot. After that, nada.

If things drag on, Lawrence says that chances are good that the final episodes would eventually be written, shot – and pop up on DVD.

“The one thing that’s keeping me from panicking completely as far as ‘Scrubs goes is I have such a good relationship with the studio, that were there something that essentially erased the rest of the year, you know, (we would still do) a finale of the series even if it was something that would just be released on a DVD or something,” Lawrence says. “To tell you the truth it’d probably end up making more money. ”

And money is the central issue here.

The bottom line is over DVD and online residual payments. Writers believe they are not being fairly compensated for their work, which is increasingly being seen through DVD sales and online with online becoming a bigger factor in the coming years. For a more detailed explaination, go to the Wall Street Journal’s story.

The impact is more than just a delay in new programs. During the 1988 strike, almost 10 percent of the TV viewing audience left and never returned.

In these days of eroding audiences, a long strike could cripple the industry. Many people will be impacted, from publicists to dry cleaners, if this proves to be a long strike.

I love horses, so this week’s “Daisies” was a particular treat. Little 4-foot-11 inch Olive, we discover, used to be a jockey. And a jockey who won the Jock Off 2000 (how funny was that??)

KRISTIN CHENOWETH, CHI McBRIDE, BARBARA BARRIE (as Momma Jacobs), ANNA FRIEL

But the winner’s circle came at a steep price. Fellow jock John Joseph Jacobs, who probably should have won, got his girth cut and fell off. As the narrator says, being in front is a good thing unless you fall off because there are so many horses coming up to trample you.

One by one, the four riders who did the major damage, are getting killed by trampling. Will Olive be next? Has JJJ come back from the dead?

As you know by now, the answer was no and no.

But my favorite part was when Ned went to see the aunts after once again feeling abandoned by his dad, who, let’s face it, abandoned him when he was just a kid.

But first, the big sad thing. After Ned’s mom died, he was shipped off to boarding school. But he escaped to go trick-or-treating in his old neighborhood and when he knocked at a door, his father answered.

What was sadder, the fact that little Ned discovered Dad with another family, or the fact that his own father didn’t recognize his son under his ghostie-sheet?

SWOOSIE KURTZ, ELLEN GREENE

When Ned goes to see The Aunts, Lily and Vivian (Swoosie Kurtz, Ellen Greene), Lily says his dad was just an ass. But Vivian walks the despondent Ned to the door and tells him how everyone says Ned turned out to be such a good person and gives him a kiss.

Ahhhh.

Blog reader Kara Severy wrote that she hopes to recreate part of that whimsical world.

“Could you tell me if the house that the Darling Sister’s live in is real or computer generated? And if it is real, where I can see it….especially the iron looking fence and gate? I’m trying to design that fence and really like the gate. Oh, I like the show too but it does have some elements of TOO CUTE that bug me a little.”

Too cute, Kara? We think not. But just to let you know how nice creator/executive producer Bryan Fuller is, we had a little email exchange on Tuesday about the show.

While I didn’t wrangle an offer that would allow you to come on the set to see the house itself, we’re hoping this is the next best thing. When Fuller found out you wanted to know about the house and especially the gates, which are real and not computer generated, he tracked down the information for you.

No pampered Hollywood flower, Fuller actually did his own leg work on this one. Well, maybe he just sent an email, but in my mind he hopped into a flower-trimmed golf cart and hunted down the designer for you.

“I asked our production designer and he said the fence/gate was designed by him (Michael Wylie) and built especially for ‘Daisies,’ “Fuller writes.

For those of you who caught last night’s episode, which Fuller says is one of his favorites, you might have seen a familiar face. Former Concord resident Carlos Alazraqui was a fixture around the Bay Area comedy club circuit in the early 1990s. He’s best known for being the voice of the Taco Bell Chihuahua and his role on “Reno 911.”

Alazraqui popped up last night on “Pushing Daisies,” where he played the drunk jockey in the Halloween-themed episode.

“We LOVED Carlos,” Fuller writes. “He was so great in the episode. We have to get him back on the show. He doesn’t die _ twice _ so we can absolutely have him back on the show.”

We’ll have to wait two weeks for another “Pushing Daisies” because of the CMA Awards next Wednesday, but here’s a peek:

LYDIA LOOK, CHRISTINE ADAMS, BUBBLEGUM THE DOG, JENNY WADE (ABC/RICHARD CARTWRIGHT)
When a dog breeder who may have bred the world’s most perfect pooch is found dead, Ned and company try to figure out who exactly did the deed, especially after they learn the deceased was a polygamist who left four grieving widows, on Nov. 14.

Good news or bad?

I’m a person who would rather go to a Giants or A’s game than to watch it on television, so this only means that my regular TV watching won’t be disrupted as often. But what do you think of the announcement today that KTVU-Channel 2 has ended their baseball deal with the Giants?

On the plus side, the Fox affiliate will be able to broadcast its national and local programming more consistently.

“The business realities have dramatically changed and we were very thoughtful and creative in our efforts to continue as the local TV rights holder,” said Tim McVay, Vice President and General Manager of KTVU-Channel 2 in a statement sent out today. “Any time there is a change that has so much positive history, it is unsettling. We have a tremendous amount of respect and appreciation for the Giants. The Giants organization is first-class from top to bottom and we look forward to carrying the Giants games on Saturday and into the Playoffs and World Series.”