It’s independence day for many characters in this episode: Vince has asserted his own position in the driver’s seat and on the A-list — he has an appearance on Leno and a test to get his driver’s license the same day — but E himself has also been weighing his options around town. And by that, I mean he’s been sleeping around with a slew of women. Apparently now that he’s a hotshot manager who rolls around in an Aston Martin, E’s had no shortage of ladies who come a-calling. And from the looks of it, he likes them young. None seem to hold his interest as much as ex Sloan, however. Particularly when she insistently rings her way back into the picture with an offer to sublet a friend’s house that’s much too good to refuse. Anyone else see these two getting back together in the near future? The way that she hedged her way back into E’s life, challenged him to get his own place, abruptly asked about his dating life, and then relented to his advances and invited him up for a drink gives me the sense that their romantic entanglements are far from done.

E’s not the only one branching out.

Turtle, still going strong with the pot and with Jamie-Lynn, has his own ideas cooking under those hats of his. Even Drama had an acting project that kept him up at night. He also had the best zingers of the night, mostly aimed toward the vertically challenged E. My favorite: “You miniature stud!”

The one who enjoyed being attached at the hip was Ari, who has seemingly found a most welcome partner-in-crime in new Miller Gold hire Andrew Klein. Andrew (played with great smarmy effect by Gary Cole) signed “My Name is Earl” show runner Greg Garcia to the agency, got Ari to drink at work, "Mad Men"-style, and is the Butch Cassidy to Ari’s Sundance Kid. “This tandem is unstoppable!” Ari declared.

The one who wants some independence but can’t have it is Lloyd, who, after loyally serving as Ari’s whipping boy for more than three years, is hankering for a promotion. Which is bound to happen after you’ve been ripped a new one by a disapproving, winery-owning father. As sad as I was to see Lloyd looking like a man-child in his suits, his mopey face staring back at him from a blank computer monitor, I didn’t think that that surly, petulant hissy fit would get him very far in his cause. And indeed, Ari shooed Lloyd’s initial proposal off with his typical aplomb. “Did you know my father was very strict?” countered the power agent. “He berated me and he pushed me and it made me feel very insecure and lost. But I became a man—my own man and now I berate and I push!... Make your own man, Lloyd.” But after Lloyd shrewdly enlists the help of Ari’s family (“Daddy, no!” “We love Lloyd, Daddy!”), Ari offers Lloyd a proposition: Make it through 100 days of Ari hazing, then he’ll earn a seat at the big kids’ table. First task: Lose 15 pounds. And while Ari warned his long-suffering assistant that this probation period will be “worse than when you had your anal cherry popped,” I, for one, cannot wait to see the arsenal of hurt that Ari has up his sadistic sleeve.

So now that Vince is basking with success on the eve of his movie’s premiere, standing on his own two feet and driver’s license firmly in pocket, everyone else has the freedom and energy to pursue their own paths as well. But all this success can also be lonely, as seen in the closing scene, in which Vince, fresh from taking a “ride” with Amy, returned to a dark and empty crib (which no doubt made the echoes in the cavernous playhouse reverberate that much more). As he assumed a very “Mad Men” Don Draper-esque pose, left arm out, on the couch, one wonders if there are darker days ahead for this self-made man. Sure, Vince is on top of the world, but is it still as sweet if he has no one to share it with?

Overall, it was nice to see the boys doing well, and finally branching out of their own inner circle. And it was funny that everyone in this town – even the dowdy, bald, bow-tied DMV employee – is industry-savvy and knows a thing or two about scoring premiere tickets (“plus one, right?”). Though the Leno appearance and the announcement that Andrew had signed Garcia — now that Leno has passed the “Tonight Show” torch to Conan and “My Name Is Earl” has been canceled — give this episode a whiff of the old and outdated. Ah, well. Here’s hoping that the boys will update their pop-culture points soon.

What did you think? Were you as bothered with the out-of-date references as I was? Are you happy to see the boys venturing out on their own for a change? How long do you think it’ll take before E and Sloan get back together? Or for Turtle and Jamie-Lynn to break up? Think Lloyd’ll get promoted before the season’s through, or will he strike out on his own? Post below!

—Allyssa Lee

Photo credit: Claudette Barius/HBO

We begin with Jason walking into his dorm room at leadership camp only to see the bodies of his fellow campers lying dead and bloody on the floor. He is attacked by a shadowy figure that pushes him down. Surprise! When the lights come on it's just the Lukinator playing a practical joke. The campers laugh but Jason punches the Luke Man in the nose, pulls off his clip-on tie and shouts that "Vampires are not a joke!" 

Screaming of a different kind is taking place at Bill's place as Bill pushes an embarrassed and half-naked Hoyt out the door, saying that he is only protecting him from Jessica. Hoyt tells Jessica that he doesn't believe Bill for a second. Good boy, Hoyt! Jessica really likes you. After the confrontation Bill decides to take Jessica to Dallas with him and Sookie. They will employ "two travel coffins, not one." Oh, and those travel coffins are totally rad, space-age looking tubes. (I wouldn't mind traveling that way, especially if Bill were in my coffin.)

Cut to Daphne swimming in her undies with Sam who rambles on about what a paradise Bon Temps is. Um, Sam, have you been living in the same bloody Bon Temps that the rest of us have been watching? Anyway, when Daphne gets out of the water, she isn't at all shy about Sam seeing the giant scratches across her back. He just gulps. Yay paradise!

Later Tara tells Mary Ann of her plans to move in with Sookie immediately. Mary Ann is clearly shaken but acts cool, although she does give herself away a bit when her eyes get that I-am-a-mutant-pig-monster look and she says, "I'm sure you'd do the same for me," to Tara when Tara thanks her for her hospitality.

Back at the world's creepiest leadership camp, Jason and the Lukester are arguing over whether Lazarus was a vampire. Jason says that he thinks Jesus was one because "he told people, 'Hey y'all, drink my blood.' "

"God will make sure evil gets punished," says Luke as Jason is summoned to meet with Steve Newlin. To which Jason replies, "Yeah? Then explain Europe to me." Oh Jason, your stupidity borders on brilliance! I know a lot of you out there are sick of this story line but I could watch Jason Stackhouse do anything and be happy. I could even watch him watch paint dry, that's how much I love him.

Meanwhile, Andy and Bud are at the coroner's office looking at the body of the dead exorcist, which, shocker, has the same scratches that Daphne has and that Sookie had before Bill saved her. Poor, dumb-as-stones Andy keeps talking about the pig that he thinks might have something to do with it all. Bud thinks he's crazy and drunk and takes his badge. But could that pig be Mary Ann? Tara was run off the road by a pig just before Mary Ann took her in....

Back in creepsville, Steve Newlin and Jason shoot pop-up vampires with paint ball guns, and Newlin is awed to discover that Jason has seen a vampire die and admits that he can't wait to see "God's awesome power just obliterate evil right in front of your eyes."

Maybe someone should obliterate Mary Ann, who is busy putting a master plan in effect at Sookie's house in the form of what turns into an incredibly bizarre birthday party for Tara. She invites a bunch of weirdo town folk, throws away the present that Tara's pathetic old mom gives to Sam to bring to the party and sashays her way into the woods where she pulses like an industrial blender until the party is whipped into an obscene froth worthy of Nero. Everyone's eyes turn black, they smear cake and dirt all over themselves, they fight and copulate in public.

Speaking of copulation, Tara and Eggs do just that in a passionate, sweaty trance. Something tells me the result of this power coupling could be worse than Rosemary's baby. Also happening at the party: Sam and Daphne hook up and Daphne admits that she knows Sam's shape-shifting secret. Could she be Mary Ann's handmaiden?

Later, when Sookie arrives in Dallas (drunk on nips that she describes as "booze for dolls"), a driver named Leon is there to pick her up. Turns out he's been hired by the Fellowship of the Sun to abduct her and take her to church headquarters. Silly church! Sookie can read minds and Bill is fast and full of fangs. Leon fails and Bill teaches Jessica to glamor him while he and Sookie check into the hotel.

Around the same time, Jason announces to the camp that he's moving into the Newlins' house to train to become an elite Soldier of the Sun. This seems to be the Bon Temps equivalent of becoming a Hitler Youth. Luke accuses Jason of sleeping with Sarah Newlin and Jason bristles. But the sexual tension between he and Sarah soars skyward as he fantasizes about her licking bottles and spanking herself with a spatula while grilling ribs for dinner.

Perhaps the only redeeming thing that happens in this episode is when Eric appears in Lafayette's window and offers him his 1,000-year-old blood. Lafayette is terribly sick and crippled and his leg is beginning to fester, so when he takes blood from Eric his comeback is remarkable. He dances around, pretends to hump his furniture and shouts with joy. Eric leaves Lafayette when Bill calls and tells him that the church tried to abduct Sookie. In the hotel bar they discuss the importance of the missing vampire Godric.

"If one such as he can be taken by humans, none of us is safe," warns Eric, adding that the vampires would begin to rebel.

"Open aggression against humans?" gasps Bill. "That's insane!"

"That's Texas," replies Eric.

Meanwhile, Jessica has ordered room service in the form of an Abercrombie & Fitch-like model who she can snack on. Sookie is at a loss when she realizes that the bellboy who delivered the model to Jessica is actually reading her mind. They even engage in a brief telepathic conversation, until the bellboy (his name is Barry) freaks out and runs away. Sookie chases him in her bathrobe.

Roll credits.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: HBO

 Now that you know what it feels like to suffer through an entire week without a new episode of "True Blood" to suck on, I bet you're extra ready to hop into Sunday's chat room to commiserate with other mega fans about how sad you were.

Up for debate this week: What's up with Daphne's tacky scars? Is Mary Ann an evil pig? What will happen in Dallas? Are Hoyt and Jessica just the kyooootest couple evar? Bring your theories, I'll bring the gin and tonics.

-- Jessica Gelt

Photo: HBO

The dancers led off with a very sharp military-inspired hip-hop dance set to the White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army," choreographed by Tabitha and Napoleon D'umo, that was quite reminiscent of Janet Jackson's "Rhythm Nation" video.  Speaking of which, after acknowledging his 60th birthday, judge Nigel Lythgoe broke the sad news that there would be no Michael Jackson tribute, as the powers-that-be wouldn't release the music. Ah well, maybe it's for the best: Even though a "So You Think You Can Dance," tribute would have been amazing, after this week's emotional memorial, perhaps it's good just to let it rest for a bit.

Cat brought out the couples to be sent to the bottom three. I predicted accurately last night that Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover would be in trouble, plus, after their amazing tango and jazz routines, it was no surprise that Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant were safe. Mary Murphy supposed that Caitlin and Jason's problem was that they could never surpass their original, popular Bollywood dance. 

The audience was shocked when Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb were sent to the bottom three, but I think it would have been just as surprising if Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak were put down there as well, since each couple performed a dance that the judges really liked and another that they were slightly lukewarm about, and each has a powerhouse girl and a popular but somewhat limited guy. 

Before they went on with the first cuts, Nigel let everyone know that pretty much everybody on tonight's episode would be going on tour, since the show would need swing dancers, so that took a little bit of the drama out of the whole top 10 thing. 

Finally, Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi were sent to the bottom three, in lieu of Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau. It's possible that Kayla and Kupono's Mia Michaels dance saved them, but moreover I'm  glad not to see them in the bottom three for once, just for the sake of some new scenery.  I thought it was a little odd of Tyce Diorio to call Ade out for his energy level allegedly dropping last night: I didn't agree, and it seemed a little cruel to blame one half of a couple for being in the bottom three. 

We got to the solos. Caitlin's was quite adorable and showed off her personality, but I wasn't sure if it was going to be enough to keep her in the competition (I assumed that either she or Melissa would be eliminated). Jason threw a ton of stuff into his solo once again, and I predicted, incorrectly, that the judges would call it "desperate" and say that he didn't connect with his audience. Jeanine's solo was, like last week's, both more technically proficient and serious than what you expect from someone who comes off so cute in her choreographed dances. Phillip was just fun to watch -- he makes boring things like elbows and wrists look cool. I felt like I was getting a workout watching Melissa's solo, as she performed in her toe shoes: She really is an amazing physical specimen of a human.  And Ade received a standing ovation for his solo, which contained a lot of explosive moves and gymnastics that moved him all over the stage. 

Before the eliminations, David Guetta and Kelly Rowland performed a song called "When Love Takes Over" that sounded like a mashup of Coldplay's "Speed of Sound" and Jordin Sparks' "No Air."  For those of you keeping track at home, she did appear to sing live, for better or for worse. 

Nigel kept the eliminations short and sweet, not giving Caitlin much of a reason why she was sent home instead of Melissa or Jeanine. Poor Caitlin seemed very shook up about the news. I was surprised that Phillip, and not Jason, was going home. However, looking back, there wasn't an episode where the judges didn't want more from Phillip, so I think it was a good choice, although we'll all miss him. Good news for those of you following the "So You Think You Can Dance" tour, though: Both will be appearing!

Next week: new couples! 

-- Claire Zulkey

(art: FOX)

After tonight’s edition of “So You Think You Can Dance” only 5 couples will remain – and they’ll all be going on tour!

Which 10? You’ll have to tune in to watch Ade, Brandon, Caitlin, Evan, Janette, Jason, Jeanine, Kayla, Kupono, Melissa, Phillip, and Randi battle it out for the slots.

The 2009 "So You Think You Can Dance" nationwide tour kicks off Sept. 20 in Manchester, N.H. Tickets go on sale July 25.

The official schedule follows:

Date                             City                                          Venue             

SEPT    20                     Manchester, NH                         Verizon Wireless Arena

SEPT    22                     Boston                                       Agganis Arena at Boston University

SEPT    24                     Newark, NJ                                Prudential Center

SEPT    25                     Mashantucket, CT                      MGM Theater - Foxwoods

SEPT    26                     Trenton, NJ                               Sovereign Bank Arena

SEPT    29                     Toronto                                     Air Canada Centre

OCT      1                      Columbus, OH                           Nationwide Arena

OCT      3                      Detroit                                     Joe Louis Arena

OCT      4                      Champaign, IL                           University of Illinois Assembly Hall

OCT      6                      Chicago                                   United Center

OCT      7                      Minneapolis                           Target Center

OCT      9                      Milwaukee                               Bradley Center

OCT      10                     Toledo, OH                               Lucas County Arena

OCT      11                     Indianapolis                             Conseco Fieldhouse

OCT      14                     Long Island, NY                         Nassau Coliseum

OCT      15                     Baltimore                               1st Mariner Arena

OCT      17                     Richmond, VA                           Richmond Coliseum

OCT      19                     Charlotte, NC                            Time Warner Cable Arena

OCT      20                     Duluth, GA                                Arena at Gwinnett Center

OCT      22                     Miami                                      American Airlines Arena

OCT      23                     Tampa, FL                                St. Pete Times Forum

OCT      24                     Tallahassee, FL                         Tallahassee-Leon Co Civic Center

OCT      26                     Houston                                  Reliant Arena

OCT      27                     Austin, TX                                 Frank Erwin Center

OCT      28                     Grand Prairie, TX                       Nokia Theatre at Grand Prairie

OCT      30                     Tulsa, OK                                  BOK Center

OCT      31                     St. Louis                                Chaifetz Arena at St. Louis University

NOV     1                      Kansas City, MO                       Sprint Center

NOV     3                      Omaha, NE                               Qwest Center

NOV     5                      Colorado Springs, CO               Colorado Springs World Arena

NOV     7                      West Valley City, UT                  The E Center

NOV     9                      Los Angeles                           Nokia Theatre LA LIVE

NOV     12                     San Diego                              San Diego Sports Arena

NOV     13                     Glendale, AZ                             jobing.com Arena

NOV     14                     Las Vegas                              Orleans Arena

NOV     16                     Sacramento                            ARCO Arena

NOV     17                     Fresno                                   SaveMart Center

NOV     18                     San Jose                                HP Pavilion at San Jose

NOV     20                     Portland, OR                             Rose Garden

NOV     21                     Everett, WA                              Comcast Arena at Everett Events Center

Find more information at fox.com/dance.

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: Fox

This week, Oseland, the editor of serious foodie read Saveur magazine, dissected just the elimination challenge, which at the end of the night didn't seem to have a clear-cut winner, at least not one so apparent to this regular "Top Chef" watcher. (Oseland, however, did take a crack at John Besh's quickfire "snarling mess of a baked egg dish." What was he doing for those 30 minutes that he only managed to serve a single, unadorned egg? Half a star is a new "Top Chef Masters" low that I'm guessing won't soon be matched.)

The evening's bigger task? Tend to the carnivorous needs of Neil Patrick Harris, his guests and the magicians of Hollywood's Magic Castle. Each of the contestants -- Besh, Mark Peel, Anita Lo and Doug Rodriguez -- were to prepare a single entree inspired by one of four magical words: mystery, surprise, spectacle and illusion.

There were no out-right disasters (on the order of Ludo's time-consuming quesadilla) to pass snap judgments on, so Oseland provided a more discerning eye. 

About Peel, of L.A.'s famed Campanile, who prepared a snapper en papillote that seemed to bowl everyone over, Oseland explains his surprisingly low score:

I think it was Mark Peel who embraced most clearly the connotations of his assigned word — mystery [...] It looked great, like a little present we all couldn’t wait to tear open. But it sat around, and it suffered for that: it lost the gorgeous immediacy and whoosh of steam it would have had had it been served and sliced open right away. (The leeks and the fish, especially, seemed overcooked; hence the lukewarm score from yours truly.)

Ah, reality-TV editing. To hear Gael Greene tell it, it was darn-near perfect. Little did viewers know that Peel had guessed right: As he waited that extra minute to serve the fish, it overcooked in its wrapping. That didn't seem to bother Greene or guest judge Gail Simmons -- but Oseland discerned that it was not as perfect as producers would have led us to believe. Tricky.

Besh's Salmon Three Ways certainly appeared to be the prettiest of the four chefs' offerings, but Oseland said he suffered from his poor sorbet execution. So cold "it was almost painful to eat," he wrote. Harris was equally unimpressed. (Wasn't he a harsh critic? I thought so.)

But pity Rodriguez, whom Oseland predicted will henceforth be known as Doug “Flaming Coconut” Rodriguez. I'd wondered what the effects of rubbing Sterno stuff on the coconuts might have had on the taste of his food, and now my suspicions have been confirmed:

From the moment he left the kitchen, he was trailed by the unsubtle petroleum smell of Sterno, which clung to the food as well. There was no overcoming it. (It was instructive to hear that he’d been hoping to use 151 proof rum to ignite his coconuts. I’m kind of relieved that didn’t happen. If he’d gotten his hands on it, some eyebrows might have been singed.)

And then there's Anita Lo, who came out guns blazing in the quickfire challenge, obliterating her competition with her Asian soft-scrambled eggs. Oseland described her winning elimination challenge dish, which I admit I had trouble conjuring up in my mind, in a way that made me want my own helping. Even if he did initially compare it to "Texas Chainsaw Massacre":

When Anita Lo presented her dish, crafted around the word illusion, it did indeed look like the scallop it wasn’t. The culinary chicanery wasn’t instantly appealing, though. Raw beef inside of poached daikon? My reaction upon slicing in was “Hello, Texas Chainsaw Massacre!” It was pretty gory in there. Then, within seconds, I was overtaken by a glorious aroma wafting up from the plate: hints of sesame oil and kochujang, that delicious Korean soy-and-chili condiment, from the beef, and the muted fragrance of seaweed and bonito from the dashi-like broth. This was serious food, and eating it was purely satisfying because it engaged all the senses. The daikon was perfectly poached and tender, and the lush tartare was one of the best I’ve ever eaten. I’m not generally a fan of fusion cooking — cooks are too often careless, wantonly throwing “exotic” ingredients around — but Anita knew every element of that dish and what to do with it. The whole package completely seduced me.

What do you all think so far? The finalists are a formidable bunch: Hubert Keller, Suzanne Tracht, Rick Bayless and Anita Lo. Two more to go, but anyone placing any early bets on who'll take the crown? Sound off below.

-- Denise Martin

Photo: BravoTV.com

Next, Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau danced a Mia Michaels-arranged contemporary number about addiction -- Kupono playing the poison, Kayla the addict. Was there any doubt it would be a memorable dance?  Kupono controlled Kayla, she tried to escape him, he threw her around.  I really liked Kayla's acting in the performance (although Nigel claimed it was hard to see her face) but my favorite detail of the dance was how Kayla began it all by running to Kupono.  Finally, I feel like I am on board with how much the judges (who adored the performance) worship Kayla.

Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover performed a Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin foxtrot, one that was choreographed so as to have a little more female strength and sexiness in it than usual.  It was a very cool, suave dance, with Jason and Caitlin looking like they were performing in some 1930s nightclub.  I wish their performance had, to steal Ade's word, a tiny bit more swagger in it, but I enjoyed it. The judges were impressed by how easy Jason and Caitlin made it look, although guest judge Tyce Diorio wanted a bit more out of Caitlin's eyes (she looked lovely, incidentally).

I was laughing at the happy head-bopping Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb did before the commercial in their traditional Russian costumes.  And, before their Youri Nelzine and Lilia Babenko-choreographed Russian folk dance, I did get excited for it, per Jeanine's instructions.  I must be a sucker for the power of suggestion because while their dance, as Nigel said, was very "folky," I enjoyed it and thought it was fun and different, but the judges seemed to hate the dance (even though they liked the dancers).  I felt bad for Phillip and Jeanine: It seemed like there wasn't anything they could have done to make the judges like the performance, so it was confusing why the dance was included as one of the genres. 

Next, Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak danced a hip-hop routine designed by Napoleon and Tabitha D'umo wherein they portrayed a young couple that just discovered a baby was on the way.  I rolled my eyes a little bit at the beginning of the performance, as Evan hid a prop engagement ring (sometimes Nappy-Tabs' dances are a little too literal for me), but it was a good performance, especially because, as Nigel pointed out, neither Randi or Evan tried to BE hip-hop, they just danced it. Randi especially did an excellent job emoting terrified elation, and I liked her dancing through Evan's arms.  Nigel declared them one of his favorite couples, and Mary was pleased and gave a mini-whoop, even though she admitted she had been expecting a trainwreck. 

I discovered a small theme with tonight's episode, and that for me involved the less-high-profile member of a few couples becoming the standout star.  That happened with Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant, who danced Miriam Larici and Leonardo Barrionuevo's Argentinian tango.  I couldn't take my eyes off Janette the entire time: she was sexy, she emoted a perfect tango attitude, and her legs were on fire.  I knew that Brandon was doing a good job as well because he was there for her every step of the way, but for me Janette just stole the show.  After the performance, Nigel was silent for a few tense moments before he stood to give the dancers an ovation and the other judges joined in.  Tyce expressed his appreciation by unrolling some complicated metaphor about fresh-squeezed orange juice, and I pondered my new theory that Tyce is related to Jeff Goldblum. 

Before we got to the second round of dances, Cat Deeley announced that next week the partners would be broken up, so the dancers discussed what they'd miss most about their partners. It was touching to see Melissa cry when she talked about what she'd miss about Ade.  They danced a Ron Montez traditional waltz, which was lovely, pretty without being fusty: I especially loved Ade's turns toward the end.  In some ways it gave me the same feeling as their pas des deux from last week. The judges liked it a lot, although Tyce thought that Melissa can work harder at dances like that since she's such a natural, she makes it look a little easy.  I wonder how Melissa will fare next week without Ade: I think he really brings out the best in her and she might be a little boring without him.

Fresh off their adored Mia Michaels routine,  Kupono and Kayla danced a Joey Dowling Broadway number, striving to capture the love at first sight feel from "West Side Story."  This was one of those dances where everything LOOKED fine, but I wasn't feeling a certain magic, but I couldn't tell if maybe it was just me.  It wasn't: Nigel said that the dance lacked the danger of those from "West Side Story" and that Kupono and Kayla didn't get into character enough.  "I could say you danced it well, but I need more now," he said, which summed it up perfectly.

I am worried for Caitlin and Jason after tonight. I feel like this was the episode where they really needed to grab the judges and audience by the ears and make them pay attention, but they didn't quite get there.  Their bodies looked beautiful together in Mandy Moore's lyrical jazz dance but, as Mary said, it wasn't magical, and Nigel worried about their chemistry.  I don't have anything bad to say about Caitlin and Jason, but they haven't given me goosebumps.

Again, while I think Phillip was the audience darling of his couple, Jeanine has emerged as the true star of the duet.  They danced a jive as choreographed by Tony Meredith and Melanie LaPatin  Nigel pointed out that Phillip was a little nervous and slipped during his dance but otherwise lauded him for doing well outside his genre.  Jeanine however was, as the judges pointed out, the star of the performance, adding a little Broadway drama to her sexy jive. She looked a little like a living Vargas girl to me, and the judges guaranteed that she'd be back next week. 

Randi and Evan didn't fare quite as well with their ballroom routine, a sexy samba choreographed by Anya Garnis and Pasha Kovalev of season three of the show.  As she tends to do, Randi expressed trepidation over whether she could portray a sexy beast, and of course she totally nailed it. Evan, on the other hand, looked a little scared during the performance, and he looked like he was working a little too hard during the lifts.  The judges loved Randi's heat but didn't think Evan (who, again, I used to consider the audience favorite of the two) was dynamic enough. It will be odd when this petite pair is broken up. 

The best (or one of the best) was saved for last in this long night of dancing, as Janette and Brandon danced a Wade Robson jazz routine. They played jewel thieves, Janette impulsive, Brandon thoughtful.  I loved their mod costumes with the white sunglasses--they reminded me of Johnny Depp's getup in "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."  It was a highly stylized routine and this was just one of those dances where the performers hit their moves hard and were snappy where they needed to be.  As Mary said, with every move the pair painted clear pictures.

Like I wrote above, I predict Caitlin and Jason will be in trouble tomorrow night, although who knows who else will make up the bottom three with them.

--Claire Zulkey

Photo: Fox

Can time pass by any slower? There are still two more months until the Sept. 16 fall premiere of Ryan Murphy's musical comedy "Glee."

But take solace, "Glee" fans. On Wednesday, Fox held a cloak-and-dagger screening of two more episodes for what the network and studio have termed "Friends of Glee" (otherwise known as TV writers who can't get enough), and I've got the details.

Without giving too much away -- nothing that the video clip above doesn't -- here's a hint of what viewers can expect:

-- A side-splitting tribute to Salt N Pepa at the duo's most randy. Watch for Artie to bring down the auditorium. (To say anything more about the song choice would ruin it, trust me.)

-- Then there's Mr. Schuester, Mercedes and Kanye West. They do the rapper proud.

-- Coach Sue will earn a regular soapbo...er, spot on the local news where she'll sound off on topics she feels strongly about. Like caning.

-- McKinley High's helpless football team will get a lesson in "loosening up" from Kurt, Mr. Schuester ... and Beyonce. (Does it compare to what Justin Timberlake did for unitards on "SNL"? It does that -- and then some.)

-- Mrs. Schuester, meanwhile, is going to be keeping a pretty big secret from her husband.

-- Lonesome leading lady Rachel will see some guy-on-girl action, only to follow it up by belting out a kiss-off Rihanna tune that she turns heart-wrenching. Later, she'll make a big decision that affects the entire show choir -- ahem, enter Kristen Chenoweth -- as a result of the return of Mr. Reyerson.

-- Finn. Performance. Car accident. 'nuff said.

-- Head cheerleader-president of the celibacy club Quinn will perform a song of her own -- and she can really sing! Ditto Tina, the choir's resident Asian goth stutterer.

-- Denise Martin

Photo credit: Fox

The premiere episode, written and directed by Whedon, will air Friday, Sept. 25, instead of the previously announced Sept. 18.  No exact word yet on whether the night's other debuting shows, "Brothers" and "Til Death," are being pushed back.

The show will also have a presentation at Comic-Con International with Whedon and Dushku attending, and will screen the fabled 13th episode.

-- Jevon Phillips

A total of 19 networks carried the proceedings live from about 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., including the major English- and Spanish-language broadcasters and cable news outlets, as well as MTV, VH1 and others.

While Jackson's celebrity spurred worldwide interest in his death, the ratings for his memorial did not quite match those for the 1997 funeral of Princess Diana, which, despite airing during the early morning hours in the U.S., drew an average of 33.2 million viewers. President Reagan's burial in 2004, which happened during prime-time in much of the country, was watched by 35.1 million.

These Jackson figures, however, do not include viewers who watched live by streaming online, which likely accounted for at least several million more users.  

More details to come.

— Scott Collins

If we thought Sebastian was going to be the one breaking hearts on this show, we may have thought wrong. Even he admits to really liking Taylor and considers their relationship "different" from his others. Is he ready to give up other high school hook-ups to be with her? Probably not, but he definitely seems slightly more smitten and self-conscious when she's around.

Cole, on the other hand, is the kind of guy that prefers to lay it all on the table. He knows what he can offer (support, cool friends, the willingness to compromise) and he isn't afraid of his prep school competition. There's no doubt he's the needy one in the relationship, but Taylor also doesn't need to question his feelings for her. If he were sweeter and less demanding, he'd be a shoo-in.

Now what makes Taylor such a heartbreaker? She's got a cute smile, seems pretty smart and has interesting hobbies, but ultimately her ambivalence is what drives the boys wild. To Sebastian and Cole, Taylor poses a challenge. She gives them equal attention, but they always walk out of their dates not knowing where she stands. It also helps that she staunchly claims to not be a "relationship person" (cynicism is sexy in New York, even at age 15).

Taylor doesn't mean to be a player; she is truly on the fence about these guys. Sebastian feeds her social climbing aspirations ("I wanna marry rich," she admits) while Cole is the safe, comfortable guy who will always be there. Neither has all the qualities she really wants, so I understand her indecision. Next week's preview shows her chastising Sebastian, so she may either go back to the reliable ex or emerge empty-handed.

Meanwhile, PC and Jessie continue to examine their close friendship. Jessie acts as both a possessive girlfriend and a worried mother towards PC, so it's not too far fetched for her friend Kim to presume she's secretly in love with him. I believe deep down Jessie is waiting for the day when PC professes his love for her, but in the meantime, she'll deny they're anything more than best friends. With his increasing fussiness and snobbery, it's becoming difficult to find anything redeeming about PC, so if I were Jessie I'd keep him as a friend and only that.

Who should Taylor choose? Do you think Jessie is secretly in love with PC?

-- Enid Portuguez

CNN reports that its website generated 81 million page views with 11.8 million unique visitors from midnight to 5 p.m. Eastern time, according to Omniture. That is well above CNN.com's daily average of roughly 35 million page views. In addition, a total of 9.7 million live video streams were logged, with a peak usage of 781,000 concurrent live streams.

However, those numbers pale beside the figures for Election Day last November and President Obama's inauguration. CNN hit a record of 1.3 million concurrent live streams on Inauguration Day, with a total for the entire day of nearly 27 million. And on Election Day, CNN.com recorded 276 million page views.

Television ratings will start rolling in Wednesday morning. Stay tuned to Show Tracker for further updates.

-- Scott Collins

Jackie explains the difference in the night shift. “Stab wounds. More drunks. Less nut jobs. Less children.” Then we get a stroke, a woman who wants a pregnancy test and a woman with lupus with her 10-year-old daughter/caretaker. Come on. Can’t we get just one stab wound? The gun shot last week was off screen. We don’t get to see any of the fun.

But before Jackie headed out for her action-packed shift, she had dinner with her family. Jackie and her husband continue to deal with their oldest, Grace’s, general anxiety and "sunless drawing" disorder. Her latest signs are throwing a container she couldn’t get opened and running out the room after her sister stuck a French fry up her nose. Doesn’t really seem that bad. Then at the end of the episode Jackie finds out that Grace had a meltdown because her pencil kept breaking. Now that goes in the same column as “if she doesn’t walk around her desk three times, airplanes fall out of the sky.” This girl has Issues. Capital “I.” Though her drawings are really good. Maybe she’s just a depressed artist.

The young girl Nurse Jackie seems most interested in is Stephanie, who came in with her mother. Jackie must see herself in the girl. Partially because she takes care of her mother’s lupus but probably more so because she knows how to work the system. Stephanie claims her grandmother is coming from Jersey. That’s a good way to keep a call to social services at bay. Jackie looks after Stephanie, gives her free medication and scolds Dr. Cooper for offering her a sticker (but seriously, who doesn’t like a sticker? I’d take one).

Jackie has only one other focus for her night shift, trying to get a little alone time with Eddie. Unfortunately, Coop kidnaps Eddie off to get food. You’d think Eddie would fight a little harder to get away from Dr. Cooper so he could get some lights-out fun with his girlfriend, but then Coop suggested Quiznos, and I, for one, thought that sounded delicious. Eddie must have thought so too.

Speaking of strange lunch-fellows, Dr. O’Hara and Zoey went out to grab a bite. And by “grab a bite,” I mean reservations at a five-star restaurant. Zoey sticks out like a sore thumb. At first I thought, “Jackie doesn’t stick out this much, and she’s in scrubs too.” Then I realized that Jackie’s clothes don’t have little bunnies all over them.

Akalitus spent the evening spoiling everyone’s fun. By the time she’d separated Stephanie from her mom and tried to get on Jackie and Mo-Mo’s case for smoking, I was prepped for something bad to happen to her. So when she noticed the taser lying oh, so perfectly on the tile, I knew it was coming. Anna Deavere Smith (Akalitus) has done some really great physical humor on the show so far. It’s just strange how much it sticks out from the rest of the show’s tone.

Jackie returns home as the sun is rising. She hears her husband describe Grace’s meltdown, responding simply with “OK.” Before she heads up to bed, Stephanie calls, asking for more advice in caring for her mother. Jackie perks up and walks her through cutting a percocet (while doing the same for herself). Again, Jackie proves to be much more adept and interested in solving other people’s problems than in taking care of her own.

— Andrew Hanson

Photo credit: Showtime Television

Nancy finally gets tired of having to take a translator to her obstetrician and decides to go see Alanis Morrisette instead. Dr. Alanis Morrisette. Well, You Oughta Know that while Nancy was Head Over Feet for Esteban, this pregnancy was kind of Uninvited. You Learn that Nancy is considering having this baby Under Rug Swept, possibly killing the one thing keeping her alive. It’s a little Ironic, don’t you think?

Nancy leaves with her pregnancy to consider and a desire to plant herbs. Not the herbs that you’d think on "Weeds." More the herbs that can help mask the smells of living with four men from Nancy’s pregnancy-enhanced nose.

No, the only people who seem to still be interested in those kind of herbs are Silas and Doug. Last week they signed a lease on their compassionate care medical marijuana dispensary. This week, they realized they didn’t have an inventory, so they went to see the Wizard. Not the guy behind the curtain who gives you a clock when you wanted a real heart, and not Fred Savage’s little brother who’s really good at Super Mario 3. This Wizard was a pot agent played by James Urbaniak. You might recognize him as Dwight Schrute’s best friend on "The Office," or if you’re super-nerdy like me, you’ll know him as the voice of Doctor Venture.

Silas and Doug’s partnership reaches the boiling point of a punch, a hug, and an awkward walk away. The hat trick of male conflict resolution. Now that that’s all worked out, I hope they can go back to the Wizard and work things out. It would be nice to see more of Urbaniak, and if he keeps an Asian man with a sword as a bodyguard, think what he might have behind the other doors in his office.

While Silas and Doug work to become more legit, Shane sinks lower into the world of crime. After getting ripped off by his English teacher for nearly four grand worth of his brother’s pot, Shane came home for some nice, therapeutic bottle-smashing. With a little goading from Ignacio, Nancy’s current bodyguard, Shane goes to take back what’s his and a little extra.

But everyone was busy in this episode. Andy went on his date as Judah. He takes his imaginative and possibly deranged bank clerk out for fondue dressed like they’re in a John Hughes movie. She wants to relive her teenage date with Judah, up to the moment where she should have lost her virginity under a bridge. Must have been more romantic then. With the ambiance of homeless men doing homeless men things, I don’t think any amount of imagination could get Andy in the mood.

And Celia’s hiding out in the garage. So desperate for companionship she strikes up conversations with the men who come to remove Sucio’s body from the freezer. Poor Sucio. His first shower ever and he ends up in the ice box. At least we know he didn’t wander off naked.

Though among all this light-hearted insanity, it happened. What everyone (at least me) has been waiting for.  Someone finally called Nancy out. After her plants died and she found out that Shane is getting an F in English and Celia told her she’ll be staying as long as she wants, Nancy asks Andy and the universe why Armageddon keeps raining down on her. Without any twinge of his normally constant humor, Andy tells her: “You do it. You do know that. You have to know that it’s all you.”

About time someone said that. Nancy’s reaction was perfect. Her momentary breakdown.

I don’t know about her actions after that. Going to live with Esteban. I’m not sure if I was a fan of her going to Van Nuys, but this doesn’t seem much better.

-- Andrew Hanson

Photo: Showtime Television

Karla on her week with Vitolio:

On the quickstep being known as the "kiss of death" on "SYTYCD":
I think I was already practicing my solo when I opened that card that told us we'd be doing that dance,  especially when everyone else around us had a genre in their comfort zone. I felt almost defeated, but there was motivation to attack the dance's hard style. The blessing was having Jean-Marc [Généreux] as a choreographer. He was very involved and invested in us, and he knew it would be a difficult task and that it's a hard dance to learn: Your feet have to work very fast, and you have to work intimately with your partner, and that was an additional challenge. I think Jean-Marc guided us a lot with the analogies he used to help us with frame and finding that connection physically. He gave us a great routine choreographically to make it easier because there were other things to focus on, like the story and acting, so we weren't too focused on doing the quickstep perfectly.

What's next:
Relaxing and spending time with family. I got a few offers the day after the elimination episode to teach and to perform and to do the Radio City Rockettes show and maybe get into acting. 

Vitolio on how dancing saved his life:
I saw a Michael Jackson video in early age and that inspired me: Once I got out of an orphanage [in Haiti] I used dance as a way to survive and make money in the street and take care of myself and my grandma.  

How it felt to be in the bottom three the third time:
I was a little surprised because, from the judges' critiques the night before, we thought we had done an awesome quickstep. I knew we were somehow going to be in there because America had its favorites and wasn't going to put its favorites aside to vote for us, but I was hoping for a miracle still.

What's next:
I'm back in Miami and I'm looking for an agent in L.A., so I'm planning on moving to L.A. and keep on dancing and choreographing and getting into acting and modeling, and maybe writing a book about my life story.

— Claire Zulkey

(art: FOX)

Before we got to the unpleasantness, the dancers performed a group number to "A Brand New Day" from "The Wiz" as choreographed by Tyce Diorio, and it was a joyous Broadway number (and probably a mini Michael Jackson tribute). 

As we got to the first part of eliminations, I was surprised to learn that Karla Garcia and Vitolio Jeune were in the bottom three instead of Randi Evans and Evan Kasprzak. The judges were lukewarm for Randi and Evan's frug, and I expected the fun factor of Vitolio and Karla's quickstep and the novelty of her quick-change dress would have had the calls rolling in. 

The judges were shocked, next, to learn that Kayla Radomski and Kupono Aweau were in the bottom three, and I was surprised in that I thought their creepy vampire dance from last night went over well. But when they were up against Janette Manrara and Brandon Bryant and Melissa Sandvig and Ade Obayomi, somebody in that crowd had to be in the bottom three and it would be a shock no matter who it was. 

Finally, Jeanine Mason and Phillip Chbeeb were the last couple sent to the bottom three: I was really glad that America dialed in and saved Caitlin Kinney and Jason Glover after their unusual alien dance. Moreover, I was glad that finally Phillip had to dance for his life, since his solos are probably the most fun to watch in the entire competition. 

Continuing the routine of guest dance performances, Desmond Richardson and Patricia Hachey performed a pas de deux. Let's just forget the dance for a second: These two dancers' bodies and the things they did with them were just sick.  And the dance, of course, was beautiful.  But ogling Desmond's thighs and watching Patricia bring her thigh up to her ear, well, I was filled with awe.

We got to the solos and began with Karla. I enjoyed her dance, which I thought was much more quirky and interesting than she is on the show (which turned out to be good for her solo, but the fact that the rest of her time on the show was not quite memorable was bad for her overall).  Vitolio danced next, and my reaction was, "I'm sick of seeing Vitolio do solos." As Nigel said, he brings a presence through the stage, but doesn't quite deliver beyond that.  When Kayla danced, I wrote "I'm going to wait to see what the judges say about this. Meh," and actually was backed up by Nigel, who said her solo was "static."  Kupono's solo was, well, annoying: Set to a well-known ukelele version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" he emoted more than he danced. Sure, he seemed overjoyed to be alive, but he didn't really dance. I thought for sure Kupono's time was up when he said, "Going home wouldn't be that bad."  Finally, Jeanine showed off a much more classical, serious and technically skilled side than I expected from her in her solo, which I thought was a good move (it paid off: Nigel called it the best solo of the night) and Phillip did his amazing freestyle that was as fun as I expected -- half the entertainment in watching Phillip perform is the character her brings onstage, an ironic sort of goof.

Before we got to the actual eliminations, Kelly Clarkson sang "I Do Not Hook Up." I adore Kelly: She can actually sing, she makes it look easy and she seems like she is both a professional and yet has fun onstage.  She made most of the prior musical guests this season look like chopped liver. 

Finally, Nigel delivered the news: Jeanine and Phillip were both saved, and when pitted against Kayla, Karla had no chance. I thought she did a good job last night, but trying to come up with a memorable performance of hers, I blanked, so I think it made sense that she would go home next.

I'm not sure exactly why Vitolio got sent home instead of Kupono, except that maybe the judges were just, like me, slightly more sick of seeing Vitolio dance for his life than Kupono.

-- Claire Zulkey

(art: FOX)

Aubrey O'Day has been hinting for months -- on Twitter and to MTV.com -- that she is about to embark on a new career path after being booted from Danity Kane. And that it will be chronicled by a reality show.

The project would be her joining the "Peepshow" cast in Las Vegas -- she would take the role originated by Mel B., a.k.a. Scary Spice -- and it looks as if it's close to being official. In addition to being a frequent target of bloggy meanness, O'Day performed on Broadway last summer in "Hairspray" as Amber Von Tussle.

And it is VH1 that would follow O'Day's life in Las Vegas in a docu-soap.

If, that is, the show gets picked up. Only a small percentage of VH1 pilots or presentations actually turn into series.

MTV.com quoted O'Day last week saying she hoped the show would come out in October, but a source at VH1 said, "Nothing has been green-lit yet."

O'Day did not respond to an e-mail requesting comment.

-- Kate Aurthur

Photo credit: Liz O. Baylen