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Sometimes, you have to get what you ask for to realize that you don’t want it. “Lost” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14) appears to have entered its “answers” phase, and it’s not a pleasant experience.
Last week, we watched Ben’s reaction as his daughter was assassinated before his eyes. We thought for rather painful seconds that Sawyer and Claire were goners. And since they don’t seem to figure in the miserable post-island futures for the Oceanic survivors, we have to assume that their end is just around the corner. Do we really want to see that? I’m not certain that a “Lost” without Sawyer is anything I’d like to watch.
Of course, the questions piled up as well. Ben checks into a Tunisian hotel under an “On the Road” pseudonym, and not, we are told, for the first time. And just how does he control the smoke monster? Is there some kind of valve in the basement? Can we buy it at Home Depot?
Tonight’s “Lost” returns to love-triangle territory as Jack’s failing health inspires collaboration between Juliet and Kate.
Smart shows are all about character development. And while “Lost” piles on the back stories and mysteries behind personalities major and minor, the documentary style of “The Office” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14) allows viewers to slowly get better acquainted with its characters and their flaws.
Last week’s major revelation involved Ryan’s dangerous dependence on some kind of party drug. It’s hardly surprising that Ryan, the former temp turned corporate wunderkind, would have a dark side.
But the episode was more interesting when it implied that Jim — the series’ dreamboat and most endearing character — becomes decidedly uncomfortable when dealing with a black security guard or Spanish-speaking cleaning staff. He may be cool, but he’s not perfect, and that makes him all the more believable.

southcoasttoday.com

The onset of daylight-saving time resulted in lower ratings on the broadcast networks Sunday night, with ABC’s second week of “Oprah’s Big Give” declining by more than 20% but still winning its timeslot. Nielsen reports that primetime viewership among adults under 50 was down 6% vs. the previous Sunday, peaking with a 12% falloff in the 7:30 half-hour.
The Alphabet network carried the night overall among young adults, winning from start to finish with “America’s Funniest Home Videos” (1.9/6 in 18-49, 6.7 million viewers overall), “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (4.0/11 in 18-49, 12.4 million viewers overall), “Oprah’s Big Give” (projected 4.1/11 in 18-49, 11.9 million viewers overall from 9 to 10:02 p.m.) and “Here Come the Newlyweds” (projected 3.5/9 in 18-49, 8.7 million viewers overall).
“Home Edition” and “Oprah’s Big Give” were both down about 23% from the previous week, while “Newlyweds” dipped by a more modest 15%.
Fox ran second on the night, although with below-average results for “The Simpsons” at 8 o’clock (3.5/10 in 18-49, 7.3 million viewers overall). The toon vet still earned a share of the 18-49 lead, but the net’s “King of the Hill” fell off some at 8:30 (3.0/8 in 18-49, 6.2 million viewers overall). Following a repeat “Family Guy” at 9 p.m. (3.7/9 in 18-49, 7.5 million viewers overall), the second episode of laffer “Unhitched” (2.6/6 in 18-49, 5.2 million viewers overall) was in line with the previous week’s premiere score.
NBC couldn’t get a whole lot going early with its two-hour repeat spec “100 Most Outrageous Moments” (2.0/6 in 18-49, 7.8 million viewers overall), although it rose to a 2.8/7 in the demo and 10.6 million viewers overall in its final half-hour. A repeat of “Law & Order” placed third at 9 o’clock (1.8/4 in 18-49, 7.0 million viewers overall), and a rebroadcast of “Law & Order: SVU” moved up to second at 10 p.m. (2.2/6 in 18-49, 8.5 million viewers overall).

variety.com

Thursday night saw the final pre-strike “Lost” episode, but after a short break, the producers are promising five more “super-charged” shows to wrap up the season.
The thrilling sci-fi drama will return to CTV after a four-week break in a new time-slot, 10 p.m. ET, on April 24th.
On a previous edition of the official “Lost” podcast, producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse commented on how they had to change their original plan for 16 episodes before the writers’ strike. Tonight’s episode is the eighth episode of the season.
“We’re basically going to take our plan for eight episodes, and we’re going to try and compress it into five more episodes,” says Cuse.
Optimistic about how the new shows are going to turn out plot-wise, Lindeloff promises, “It’s going to be a super-charged five hours of show.”
On April 24th “Grey’s Anatomy” will also return with its first new episodes following the strike.
Last week’s episode, “Ji Yeon,” was originally planned to be the first “mini-finale” before the break, but instead “Lost” left us with a few more answers — and a couple of deaths. Rousseau and Karl were shot by an unknown party, leaving Alex — Ben’s “daughter” — alone in the woods and very, very scared.
“Meet Kevin Johnson” mostly followed Michael Dawson’s flashback, explaining where he’s been since leaving the island by boat in season two.
It also explained how he came to work as Ben’s spy on the mysterious freighter.
Harold Perrineau, who plays Michael, has recently said that he’s slated to appear on “Lost” at least until the end of this season.
Before he left on the island, Michael helped Ben (known at the time as Henry Gale) escape from the Hatch, where he was held captive by Jack and Locke.
In the process of freeing Ben, Michael killed Ana-Lucia and Libby, before shooting himself in the arm. Under suspicion, he was brought along with Jack, Kate, Hurley and Sawyer as they left on a mission to the other side of the island, where they were ambushed by a group of “Others.”

ctv.ca

Averaging a 6.8 rating/18 share in the 18-49 demo, according to Nielsen Media Research, Fox took an early lead in the 8 p.m.-9 p.m. hour over CBS stalwart Survivor — not with veteran heavyweight American Idol , but with rookie reality series Moment of Truth .
Without its usual Idol lead-in, Truth averaged a 4.1/12 in the demo, while Survivor — moved from its Thursday berth due to the NCAA tournament — managed a 3.6/10.
But the combination of Survivor, Big Brother at 9 p.m. and a CSI: NY repeat at 10 p.m. helped CBS to pull ahead of ABC and NBC to finish second for the night, with a 2.6/7 average in the demo.
While Idol averaged a 9.6/24 in the demo in the 9 p.m.-10 p.m. slot, ABC’s Supernanny edged out Big Brother, averaging a 2.6/6 to Big Brother’s 2.4/6.
ABC finished third with a 2.1/6 in the demo with two hours of reality — Wife Swap at 8 p.m. and Supernanny at 9 p.m. — and a new episode of Men in Trees at 10 p.m.
NBC finished fourth with three hours from the Law & Order franchise. The network lost the 8 p.m. hour with a Criminal Intent repeat that averaged only a 1.4/4 in the demo — behind America’s Next Top Model on The CW, which averaged a 1.8/5. But it managed to win the 10 p.m. hour thanks to a new episode of the original L&O, which earned a 3.0/8 in the demo.

broadcastingcable.com