Dickens, Challah and That Mysterious Island
For the show's creators, the goal of the season finale of "Lost" was to keep customers guessing but not annoy them.
(May 25, 2006)

Chloe Sevigny of 'Big Love' on Being Wife No. 2
Nicki, a transparently needy manipulator and overall nervous wreck, represents a departure for Chloe Sevigny.
(May 21, 2006)

Young Male Viewers Lift Ratings for 'Smallville'
Having experienced a resurgence this past year, "Smallville" will be one of CW's most valuable shows when it begins its sixth season in September.
(May 20, 2006)

The Toughest Mission Yet for 'The Amazing Race'
After a steady rise to success, a reality show changes course and loses its audience.
(May 17, 2006)

On MTV's 'Real World' Paula Meronek Deals With a Grim Reality
This season, a woman with an eating disorder, a drinking problem and an abusive boyfriend have led MTV's "The Real World" into murky ethical waters.
(May 2, 2006)

'American Idol' Contestants Attract Web Handicappers and Pundits
Some Web sites are trying to make a science of the voting process behind Fox's popular show.
(April 11, 2006)

"Do It, Already!" (Slate)
TV couples that take forever to hook up.
(April 3, 2006)

The N Channel Finds a Place on Teenagers' Screens
The N channel, once the province of preschool, has all growed up into a preferred destination for teenagers.
(April 2, 2006)

On 'So Notorious,' Tori Spelling Mocks Herself Before You Can
Tori Spelling knows what people say about her, and in her new scripted comedy series "So Notorious" on VH1, she is saying it with them.
(March 30, 2006)

As the Plot Thickens, No One Is Safe
As quality shows compete for loyal audience members, the stakes of dramatic series have risen. For many, death keeps the story alive.
(March 14, 2006)

Welcome Back, Alumni
In an effort to woo back once-loyal fans, "General Hospital" has brought back several characters from past decades for this February ratings sweeps period.
(Feb. 25, 2006)

Worrying With Celebrities
They say celebrity culture puts people on pedestals for the joy of knocking them off. Not me. I want them up there forever, financially stable and mentally well-balanced.
(Feb. 19, 2006)

The Bad Girl of 'The L Word' Returns to Form
Shane, the former lady-killer of Showtime's lesbian soap opera, slipped back into her womanizing ways last Sunday, much to the delight of her fans.
(Feb. 12, 2006)

Things That Go Bump in Prime Time
"Supernatural" has found its niche by offering viewers a "rollicking, red-blooded horror movie" every week.
(Jan. 22, 2006)

Tune In Next Week (but Log on Tomorrow)
Shows like "Lost," "Prison Break," and "24" incited the most fervor this year by requiring an unusual degree of commitment from viewers.
(Dec. 25, 2005)

Another Catwalk for Fashion Series
Overcoming its terrible initial ratings, "Project Runway" starts a new season on Bravo on Wednesday.
(Dec. 6, 2005)

The Queen of Sci Fi Gets Ready to Rumble
Since Bonnie Hammer's six-year reign at Sci Fi, the channel's audience has doubled. Her next mission: to give the USA channel a clear identity.
(Dec. 4, 2005)

Prepare the O.R. (and A.A.): Dr. Drake Is Back
The return of Rick Springfield as Dr. Noah Drake in "General Hospital" is sure to shake up the series and delight its fans.
(Nov. 30, 2005)

A 'Lost' Ships With Leaks
The show's producers have realized that keeping the plot twists secret isn't smooth sailing.
(Nov. 9, 2005)

Those Boys Are Back, as Timely as Ever
"South Park" has become a high-profile entertainment brand in large part because it provides running commentary on current events.
(Oct. 19, 2005)

Lifetime's Place Is in the House (and Senate)
Meredith Wagner, an executive vice president of Lifetime, has helped make the channel a force in political lobbying.
(Oct. 16, 2005)

The New Leader of the 'Law & Order' Pack
Finding the right balance of carnage and character has put "SVU" on top in its seventh season.
(Oct. 2, 2005)

The King of Geek T.V. Gets a Big-Screen Comeback
Joss Whedon still had a hundred stories to tell. Now he gets one more chance.
(Sept. 25, 2005)

Book Review: 'Girl Sleuth': Whodunit?
Melanie Rehak explores the authorship and enduring popularity of the Nancy Drew mysteries.
(Sept. 25, 2005)

The New Season: Television
Doctors, lawyers and other spooky characters: a preview of fall television offerings.
(Sept. 11, 2005)

An Excruciating Excess of Reality
The idea was to watch Danny Bonaduce, the former child star from "The Partridge Family," at a rough moment. No one anticipated the harrowing result.
(Sept. 4, 2005)

Thirteen Episodes to Life
With "Prison Break," Fox tries to figure out how to build a long-term series out of a one-time event.
(Aug. 14, 2005)

The Awesome Tales of the Tweens
Nickelodeon's formula: famous kids and lots of music. Now if only those 14-year-olds would stay that way.
(Aug. 7, 2005)

'Degrassi,' the N Iteration
How to make a Canadian teenage drama safe for American cable.
(July 24, 2005)

Just Where Did You Say You Were From?
How the sleeper hit "The 4400" started an invasion of aliens and monsters into American living rooms.
(June 12, 2005)

The 'Community Activist' Who's a Little Too Active
Anthony Anderson sheds his comedic persona on "The Shield" as an ex-con playing both sides of the game.
(May 22, 2005)

Pilot Watch: Must-Synergy TV
In recent years, more and more series have been produced by studios associated with the networks that broadcast them.
(May 15, 2005)

When God Was Less Controversial
Will "Joan of Arcadia" fail because of its gentle and moderate theology?
(May 8, 2005)

Pilot Watch: The Part She's Born to Play
Tori Spelling talks about the benefits of playing herself on NBC's sitcom pilot "Notorious."
(May 8, 2005)

Pilot Watch: A 'Grey's Anatomy' Lesson
"Grey's Anatomy", the most-watched midseason drama in 12 years, proves that men will watch shows with a female lead.
(May 1, 2005)

On TV, Reality Loves a Villain
CBS's "Amazing Race" has grown from a benign racing competition to a more confrontational, character-driven drama.
(April 26, 2005)

Pilot Watch: Bruckheimer's Sitcom Strategy
In a departure for Jerry Bruckheimer, two of the five pilots in production this season from his company are sitcoms.
(April 24, 2005)

A Season-Long Whodunit Must Soon Say Who Did
The question of who killed Lilly Kane has been driving the plot of "Veronica Mars" since its September debut. At last, viewers are going to get answers.
(April 17, 2005)

Stranded, for Even Longer
Reality franchises have often concluded in a prolonged fashion. Now, dramatic series finales are starting to play the supersize-me game, too.
(April 17, 2005)

Pilot Watch: Giving Birth to Similar Plots
Fertility clinics have not been popular settings for television series. But the networks' schedules for next fall raise the prospect of twins.
(April 17, 2005)

And Now, a 'Survivor' First: A Tribe With One Member
When Thursday's episode of "Survivor" begins, Stephenie LaGrossa will be alone on a Palau beach, the first one-person tribe in the show's history.
(April 14, 2005)

The Flavor of the Hour
Annie Parisse is the latest leggy, glossy-haired "Law & Order" assistant district attorney.
(April 10, 2005)

Pilot Watch: Desperate Hours
Among the pilots that might make the networks' schedules for next season are a host of shows following the models of "Lost" and "Desperate Housewives."
(April 10, 2005)

Mix-Up Leads to New 'American Idol' Vote
By JACQUES STEINBERG and KATE AURTHUR
Several wrong numbers were displayed on the screen for a telephone vote that was to eliminate one of the remaining 11 contestants.
(March 24, 2005)

In a Slice of the 60's, Hold the Nostalgia
In its two and a half years on television, NBC's "American Dreams" has illustrated the struggles of the 1960's through their effect on the show's characters.
(March 9, 2005)

With 'Idol' and Super Bowl, Fox Wins Sweeps Month
Because of its winter surge from "American Idol" and the Super Bowl broadcast, Fox is now tied with CBS in the 18-to-49 demographic for the season.
(March 2, 2005)

Ratings for Oscars Down a Bit, Despite Innovations
Chris Rock, fewer marches of winners from their seats to the stage, and other stabs at hyperkinetic presentation were not enough to arrest the slide in Oscar viewership.
(March 1, 2005)

The Past Catches Up With a Future Superman
The creators and producers of "Smallville" have included many tributes, references and in-jokes to the Superman mythology since the show's debut in fall 2001.
(February 23, 2005)

You Want Their MTV's
Though its overall aesthetic has changed many times over the years, MTV has always put a premium on a visual style with a graphic twist.
(February 20, 2005)

Playing Himself at His Own Expense
The many humiliations of being Bryan Greenberg on HBO's "Unscripted."
(February 13, 2005)

The Art of the Upchuck
Tuesday's episode of "House" features a man vomiting prodigiously on another person. How do they film that?
(February 13, 2005)

The Meter's Running and So Are the Hidden Cameras
The HBO show "Taxicab Confessions" returns to New York, and usually reserved passengers let loose.
(January 30, 2005)

Teenage Girls Lift Soapy Drama From Slump
In its second season, "One Tree Hill" has emerged as one of WB's hits, thanks to a shift in focus from a male-driven plot to a female one.
(January 25, 2005)

Strange Things Wash Up on the Jersey Shore
After "Buffy," a producer explores a new supernatural realm in "Point Pleasant" and finds that censors find sex scarier than evil.
(January 9, 2005)

Little Blob, Don't Be Sad (or Anxious or Phobic)
The antidepressant Zoloft's campaign of four commercials has inspired online discussions and requests for a stuffed animal blob.
(January 2, 2005)

Downwardly Defined Celebrity Flaw, The
Celebrity magazines have always concerned themselves with weight gain and other lapses in the appearance of the rich and famous. But as competition among tabloids increases the demand for celebrity shortcomings, the chattering classes have been forced to expand their definition of what counts as a failing.
(December 12, 2004)

A Troubled Film Buff Lives Again on Screen
An eclectic programmer for a once-popular Los Angeles' cable station is the subject of a new documentary.
(November 29, 2004)

9/11 Report: The Mini-Series
NBC recently announced plans to turn the million-selling "9/11 Commission Report" into an eight-hour mini-series. Kevin Reilly, NBC's entertainment president, talked to Kate Aurthur about developing a project of this significance and sensitivity.
(November 28, 2004)

Virginity Lost (Slate)
When it comes to sex on teen dramas, father doesn't always know best.
(November 23, 2004)

Reality Stars Keep on Going and Going . . .
Love 'em or hate 'em, they're TV-savvy men and women who play themselves in show after show after show Ñ for fun or money.
(October 10, 2004)

MUSIC VIDEO: The American Idol Diaries
In the video for a soundtrack song for "The Princess Diaries 2," Kelly Clarkson's dreams overpower the movie's.
(September 19, 2004)

Television's Most Persistent Taboo
Why nearly every unplanned pregnancy on television ends in a canceled abortion.
(July 18, 2004)

'The Real World' in the Real World
A housemate's court date will be seen on the season finale; a far more serious matter is kept off camera.
(June 27, 2004)

How 'American Idol' Got Hijacked by Its Viewers
With viewers voting to advance off-pitch warblers over outstanding singers, the whole premise of "American Idol" is under question.
(May 23, 2004)