Blog Posts by Tara Ariano

Play a "Hallelujah" on that pipe organ, yo! (HBO)If you were interested in the history of Prohibition but couldn't force yourself to commit to Ken Burns's documentary on the subject for its entirety (guilty), there's another way you can learn about the topic. No, not in books, silly! HBO is bringing back "Boardwalk Empire" for another season.

The decision is hardly surprising, given its healthy ratings (particularly when you compare them to those for the network's interesting new dramedy "Enlightened," which...yeesh) and the rumrunner's boatload of Emmys the show racked up for its freshman season.

But we're not through with you yet! (PBS)As if it's not already painful enough, for those of us outside the UK, to know that Season 2 of "Downton Abbey" is airing there RIGHT NOW and that it will be months until we get to see it, now we have to face devastating news: The show might end after Season 3!

In a new interview with Britain's Radio Times, series creator Julian Fellowes says that he had always envisioned the "Downton" story playing out in three parts:

The original concept in my optimistic head was for the first series to start towards the end of the Edwardian era, the second to be set during World War One and the third in the 1920s. In the 20s there are big changes, new inventions, different expectations I can't wait to explore.

It's nearly time for Bravo to unveil the second season of its unlikely reality hit, "Work of Art," so the network has posted videos introducing viewers to each of the new contestants. I'm sure each of them is uniquely talented and compelling to watch, but one in particular stood out for me, and that is The Sucklord. Or, I guess I should say, he CALLS himself "The Sucklord." ("To Mr. and Mrs. Lord, a son: The Suck"?) (With apologies to "In the Loop.") The Sucklord works in the medium of deconstructed action figures, because of course he does. But don't think you know exactly what he's about! As he says: "The one thing about me that would shock people is that I'm actually a very compassionate human being." More like The MUSHlord, right guys?

Learn those lines! (Mike Marsland/WireImage.com; Steve Granitz/WireImage.com)Actors have day jobs, but with an eye on a paycheck, a fun day's work, or an Outstanding Guest Actor Emmy, they moonlight in TV guest roles, too. Here are a few performers who will soon provide their Guest Services.

Actors: Dean Cain and Kevin Sorbo
Day Job: Character-acting around town; being heartthrobs of yesteryear your mom is still into
Guest-Starring On: "Don't Trust the B—- in Apartment 23"
Role: Themselves
Pros: It makes sense that series regular James van der Beek (also as himself) would have formerly famous '90s TV stars for friends.
Cons: Stack that much winky nostalgia on a brand-new show and you risk crushing it under all the meta.

In this country, it can be tough getting TV viewers excited about watching shows from yesteryear: If we really cared about those series, we probably already bought the DVDs or bookmarked the landing page where they're available online. However, TV fans overseas don't always have the same options we do, which is why all of Italy is probably thrilled about the existence of FOX Retro, the nation's answer to TV Land. To promote a slate of classic '70s and '80s TV hits that are now available, the network commissioned this adorable promo, which turns the stars of such shows as "Happy Days," "Wonder Woman," and "Star Trek" into 8-bit icons and places them all in an old-fashioned videogame setting. And even though I have had the option of watching full episodes of "Charlie's Angels" online for literally years, I've never wanted to until I saw this ad.

[Laughing Squid]

Propagators of lies, apparently. (Hulu)Fox's musical dramedy "Glee" has never shied away from potentially controversial issues, and has, in its two years on the air, attracted protests from all sorts of interest groups. The latest to take umbrage at the show's themes? Parents of adopted children.

At issue is the episode "I Am Unicorn," which aired two weeks ago. In it, Quinn (Dianna Agron) clashes with Shelby (guest star Idina Menzel), adoptive mother to Quinn's biological child Beth. Shelby objects to Quinn's new look and attitude, and uses the opportunity of denying Quinn access to the baby to blackmail her into "reforming" — which Quinn appears to do, though as the episode ends, she tells Puck (Mark Salling), Beth's biological father, that she intends to regain custody from Shelby.

As I mentioned/mourned yesterday, AMC's "Breaking Bad" has ended its fourth season, and won't be back on the air until next summer. Next SUMMER, guys! But evidently, Cranston decided to balance the horror of his "Breaking Bad" antihero by playing (voicing, really) a model of comic-book rectitude: Jim Gordon — later to become Commissioner Gordon — in the animated adaptation of Frank Miller's "Batman: Year One." Despite its title, io9 reports that Cranston's Jim Gordon is the true star of the straight-to-DVD project. And the guy even kind of looks like him! Here's a trailer.

[io9]

I won't claim to understand the genesis of this British ad, which marshals the star power of Yogi Bear; the Mr. Men book characters; Muttley the Dog from "Laff-a-Lympics"; and KITT, the talking car from "Knight Rider." But if you can think of a more appropriate cast of characters to assemble for the purpose of selling yogurt, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR IT.

[Bleeding Cool]