The Pick-Up Artists

Not even halfway through the current season, Kyra Sedgwick and company get a vote of confidence with the news that TNT has picked up the hit series The Closer for another 15-episode season for 2008.

There's no great mystery behind the announcement, since The Closer is the highest-rated basic cable program in history. Between the initial viewing and subsequent airings, the cop drama draws over 9 million viewers per week, which is higher than some of the shows on network television.

The current season will end on Sept. 10 after airing 13 episodes then return in December for two stand alone shows. The 2008 season will follow the same pattern. In a climate where shows usually get yanked before they even have a chance to get going, it's a pleasant surprise to see good work getting rewarded.

Image courtesy of tnt.tv

Comedienne with The View

After months of speculation as to which lucky lady (there was really no shot of a guy getting the gig on the estrogen enriched gabfest) would fill the chair vacated by Rosie O'Donnell, it was revealed that Whoopi Goldberg would be joining The View.

This is a great choice for several reasons. For the most part, Whoopi is well-liked, both within the Hollywood community and among the general public. She's got connections in film, television and theater, which will be helpful in getting some guests (and possibly even some "scoops"). At 51, Whoopi kind of fills the age bracket that Rosie did (Rosie is 45). She also brings more diversity to the panel, which there hasn't been since Star Jones and Lisa Ling left.

If you've ever heard Whoopi, either in her routines or in interviews, she is a knowledgeable individual. While you may not agree with her view, at least you can be relatively sure that she is informed.

The View is also in search of another co-host, so there will always be 4 permanent hosts, with Barbara Walters or some of the others rotating due to vacations or scheduling conflicts. Let's hope they go with someone in the 30-45 range who's not afraid to share her opinions and will make people think about a given topic whether or not viewers agree with her stance on it.

Good luck to Whoopi and the rest of The View ladies. They'll need it, at least in the New York market because The View will be going head-to-head with The Ellen DeGeneres Show in the fall.

Photo courtesy of acmewebpages.com/whoopi

Good As Gold

Viewers of the hit HBO series Entourage have come to love, and sometimes be horrified by, the extremes Ari Gold will go to in order to close a deal as one of Hollywood's top agents. Whether it's driving all night to find a lost script or conducting business during one of the High Holy Days, Ari will get the job done (or die trying). This has often meant he's sacrificed in his personal life, much to the dismay of his wife, aka Mrs. Ari. So what a surprise it was to see just how far he was willing to go in order to get his son into the private school Jonah wanted to attend so he could be with his friends. And it is through episodes such as "The Day Fu*kers" that illuminate just how truly talented Jeremy Piven is as Ari.

At first, Ari went through the usual routine (bribes, blackmail, etc.). When he realized that it wouldn't work with the headmaster Andrew Preston (Dan Castellaneta), he resigned himself to the fact that his son can't go to Briar Day School. Yet, when Jonah asked his daddy if he would be going to school with his friend, all Ari could do was cry. He then went to the headmaster's house and threw himself on Mr. Preston's mercy. The man even asked Ari, given his position of power in Los Angeles, if he had ever imagined that he would have to beg a man of Mr. Preston's stature for anything. And Ari humbly and honestly replied, "No, sir, I did not." When Ari realized there was something he could do in exchange for Jonah's acceptance, he was more than willing to do so. And while he was thrilled to have finessed a deal, his true joy was coming through for his son.

All of this is meant to illustrate just how complex and nuanced an actor Jeremy Piven is. On the flip of a coin, Piven can transform Ari from an arrogant, foul-mouthed power monger into a contrite, supplicant father who only wants to make possible the one thing his son wants. Bravo, Mr. Piven. Bravo.

Photo courtesy of hbo.com