A funny thing happened to me when I started watching The Chicago Code. I wasn't seeing it the way a lot of people might. You see, I've had a rocky relationship at best with Shawn Ryan's previous shows; I didn't catch on to The Shield until season six, and I'm still trying to forget the disappointing fourth season of The Unit. I mention that because I want to make it clear his pedigree didn't win me over when it came to this series. Nor did the persistent advertising campaign. What turned my head was the final product: a series that is everything the best police dramas should be.

I...

FOX had its Television Critics Association presentation Tuesday, and from my front-row (literally) seat, I confirmed what I felt has been the case for awhile: while the network has consistently strong dramas, it still needs to find some reliable comedies - at least when it comes to ones that aren't animated.

Here's how the day played out:

The Chicago Code

The highlight of my day was easily the presentation for Shawn Ryan's new drama, The Chicago Code (premiering February 7). Given Ryan's pedigree as the creator of The Shield, The Unit and the recently axed Terriers, the buzz - and the ex...

So, “Californication” is returning soon, and everyone’s favorite blind-in-one-eye leading man David Duchovny reprises his role as the perpetually creatively-blocked novelist Hank Moody. And I bet you real money he’s going to be having sex with people this season. Lots of sex. That he’ll feel bad about later.

Actually, that’s the entirety of “Californication.” Hank Moody has sex, feels bad about it later, then does it again. But gosh if he isn’t just so darn loveable.

I know the show is about that cycle. I know the show is supposed to be about how Hank Moody is a sex addict, and how he’s t...

They’re talented. They’re loveable. They’re hard-working TV thespians. Yet they don’t always get the credit they deserve. Here are 10 (seven, with three Honorable Mentions) out of the many TV stars that are often underappreciated.

Glenn Close – Alright, Close gets tons of credit for her work, including a string of film roles and awards galore, but she still earns a nod here. With Oscar nominations for The Big Chill, The Natural and Fatal Attraction, Close shines just as bright on the small screen. She currently stars as the lead character Patty Hewes, the ruthless litigator on the FX drama...

This week, we've brought you the Ten Greatest TV Shows, Songs, Albums and Movies of the Decade. Now it's time to roll it all into one with the Ten Greatest Entertainers of the Decade.

This was a decade where entertainment became increasingly fractured. With 500 channels 500 bazillion websites and every medium on-demand, bringing together any significant chunk of people to one thing was a true sign of greatness. In an era when nobody had to agree - making them agree took something beyond the level of entertainer we saw in the past.

With that in mind, here are the Ten Greatest Entert...

As the decade reaches its conclusion, you'll undoubtedly come across many lists. Lists that purport to tell you the best, the top, the cream of the decade as they relate to pop culture. You're also certain to come across many lists that claim to rank the "greatest" of the ten year period from 2000-2009. But what does that really mean?

"Greatest" should be something entirely different from what we usually associate with these lists. Mostly, these lists claim to rank the best - something that is only truly possible were a listmaker to, say, see every single movie in a given decade. If...

Lie to Me became a midseason hit last Spring, offering an intriguing new perspective on crime solving. The Lightman Group specializes in recognizing facial micro-expressions. No matter what the suspect tells them, they know what he or she is really thinking. It's based on the real science of Paul Ekman. Tim Roth plays Cal Lightman on the show, the ultimate human lie detector.

Roth says he has no interest in using the science in real life. As soon as he's done for the day, he shuts off. On TV though, we've seen him call the falafel cart guy on not washing his hands and even warn a woman o...

Mike Tyson, in his first role following his memorable cameo in the hit film "The Hangover," is confirmed to appear as a guest star on the new half-hour comedy series Brothers, which debuts with a special one-hour series premiere on Friday, September 25 at 8:00 PM ET/PT on Fox. In an upcoming episode, Tyson shows up to collect money from MIKE (Michael Strahan) at his brother's (Daryl Chill Mitchell) restaurant.

Brothers is a sitcom in which Michael Strahan ("FOX NFL Sunday") plays a former NFL star dealing with post-gridiron life as he moves back home with his family, co-starring Daryl C...

On the final, seventh season of The Shield Vic's relationship with Shane is put to the test as they work against each other to bring down the Armenian mob. Dutch plays hardball to get a homicide witness to come forward. Also on DVD: The Cleaner season 1, Father Knows Best season 3, Get Smart season 3, Reaper season 2.

Once upon a television season, fans of police dramas and crime procedurals didn't think detectives could ever get more hard-boiled than Vic Mackey of "The Shield" or Andy Sipowicz of "NYPD Blue." Thankfully, we were wrong. Not only are there an increasing number of take-no-prisoners police detectives and home-sleuths on the case, but many of them are wearing skirts. From Poppy Montgomery, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Roselyn Sanchez in "Without A Trace" to Kathryn Morris in "Cold Case," "Law and Order's" S. Epatha Merkerson and the women of the CSI franchise, powerful, well-written female pro...

In a year that saw the writers strike bring forth more reality TV than we ever thought possible and reduce quality drama to a war of attrition, the boob tube still managed to deliver quality drama series at an impressive clip.

BEST TV DRAMAS OF 2008

5. "BREAKING BAD" (AMC) - The aforementioned strike meant we only got seven episodes of former "X-Files" writer Vince Gilligan's masterful meth-strewn series, but after enduring its visceral fury, could we have really taken anymore?

Unlike another suburban drug dealing series, the torpid "Weeds", "Breaking Bad" offers a modern-d...

Sprague Grayden is a pleasure to talk to about almost anything and everything, which it seems we did. She talked to us about her new role on Fox's "24" as well as previous shows like "Jericho," "Sons of Anarchy" and "Six Feet Under." We also discussed her love of sci-fi and Pez.

We should get this out of the way, since it is probably the first question everyone asks. Your first name is your mom's maiden name, correct? It's very cool.

Yes. Thanks!

So if you have a child, will you maybe name him/her Grayden?

Grayden is a pretty cool first name for a child but I'm going to ...

The Unit's top secret military world of conspiracy, danger and nail-biting suspense continues with compelling revelations about the team, their personal lives and the Unit's increasingly complex nature as "The Unit" Season Three arrives on DVD October 14th from Fox Home Entertainment. Golden Globe®-nominee Dennis Haysbert (24), Scott Foley (Felicity) and Robert Patrick (The X-Files) star in the Emmy®-nominated series as members of a covert Special Forces team operating outside the usual military chain of command, their identities highly classified as they risk their lives on dangerous missi...

Not everyone has TiVo. As nice as it would be to come home late from work or class and be able to flip on 30 Rock or SportsCenter even though they aired hours before, some do not have that luxury. For some, if a show is missed, it is gone forever. The luckless viewer is resigned to hope for repeat airings or, for those most unfortunate, future syndication. However, a new day has dawned for those left in TiVo's shadow.

Now, many of the major broadcast and cable networks have engaged the possibilities of integrated marketing. With the increasing popularity of the Internet and the prolife...

On September 2nd, "The Shield" returned to FX for its seventh and final season. Since debuting in 2001, this gritty police drama has been exciting, witty, and jaw dropping. One of the very few programs that have not declined in quality during its series run, "The Shield" has enjoyed impeccable writing and brilliant acting by its ensemble cast.

Over the years however,"The Shield" has left viewers with more questions than answers. With the series getting ready to fold up shop in the next two months, here are five storylines that "The Shield" needs to resolve before the final curtain c...

Fans have been waiting almost a year for the return of 24, one of television's most addictive dramas (or is it?). On Sunday, November 23, the wait will be over as FOX presents a special two-hour prequel event.

In the meantime, do you think "24" is the most addicting show on television? Two Starpulse writers weigh in on whether the fast-paced Fox drama is truly habit forming or merely a passing enjoyment.

'24' Is Like Crack

I follow a ridiculous amount of television shows, so much in fact that my roommates and I had to get a second DVR box to accommodate all the shows we wa...

Tuesday, Sept 2

90210 (The CW, 8 p.m.) - It's finally here. Maybe now The CW can stop with the non-stop commercials.

Greek (ABC Family, 9 p.m.) - Ashleigh and Casey both have their eye on the same boy.

The Shield (FX, 10 p.m.) - The show that helped put FX on the map kicks off its final season.

Wednesday, Sept 3

America's Next Top Model (The CW, 8 p.m.) - The newest cycle includes a transgendered contestant, so you know there's going to be plenty of special Tyra moments.

Bones (Fox, 8 p.m.) - Oh, blighty! Booth and Brennan meet their British counterparts when t...

Audiences love television because it allows the viewer to become a voyeur. Great television, though, allows the viewer to identify with the characters on screen and become wholly immersed in the fictional world that’s being created. Television can also shock viewers.

In an age in which the viewer can become a fly on the wall in a Mafioso household or counter terrorist agency, it’s no surprise that audiences can be stunned by what they see on television. However, there are moments on the small screen that stick with us. Twists, revelations, and blind sides leave our mouths agape a...

A jaded, emotionally complex and brilliant Oklahoma City police detective gets a last chance to reclaim her life in the acclaimed new TNT series Saving Grace, debuting on DVD July 15th from Fox Home Entertainment.

Academy Award® winner Holly Hunter (The Piano) makes her television series debut with the provocative, Golden Globe® nominated role of Detective Grace Hanadarko, a fast-living, hard-drinking, cynical forty-something who, despite being at the top of her field, takes struggle to a new level. It all catches up to her when, after another night of too many drinks, she tragically k...

Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker was stabbed while working as a doorman at a nightclub - but lived to tell the tale. The Last King of Scotland star is used to violence on the movie set - acting in films such as Blown Away and The Shield - but wasn't so happy when he sustained a multitude of injuries in real-life.

He says, "In real life - from when I used to do a bit of bouncing - I have been stabbed a few times. It was a guy who was a little... I don't really want to talk about it. He was just pissed (annoyed) at something going on and I was trying to control him, so ultimately he ...

The time and financial constraints of the writers' strike are being felt this TV pilot season. The broadcast networks are developing half the number of pilots they usually do, ordering presentations in lieu of pilots for some and giving others the straight to series order.

Aside from NBC, which announced its schedule ahead of the pack last week, the networks have kept their plans for fall shrouded in mystery. We'll learn more during the networks' May upfronts. While we can't make any guarantees about which series will get the vote of confidence, here are some promising players to keep...

It appears that television has hit its stride. With a multitude of channels and various formats for presentation, including watching programs on demand or online, shows now have a range and quality that is unmatched in previous times.

In recent years, there have been hour-long dramas such as Lost, 24, The Shield, Nip/Tuck, The Wire, and The Sopranos that captivated audiences and left them wanting more. Furthermore, there are several half-hour sitcoms that are undeniably hilarious. Shows like The Office, 30 Rock, South Park and Scrubs provide many laughs for an eager audience. Even pro...

Shows about the police force or law enforcement in general have become commonplace on television. Over the years shows like Hill Street Blues, Dragnet, and NYPD Blue made an impact on TV audiences. More recently, series like 24, The Shield, CSI and The Wire have focused on the gritty aspects of crime fighting.

What are the top five crime fighters on television in the last 10 years? After conducting a great deal of research and some painful debate, we have compiled the list below, in alphabetical order.

Jack Bauer - 24

The man is a living legend and has saved the United Stat...

Outkast star Andre 3000 is running to become a TV mayor of Los Angeles. The singer/songwriter will test his acting skills when he campaigns for public office in the upcoming season of hit drama The Shield.

It won't be his debut on the gritty show - he portrayed a comic book store owner in 2004 episodes.

-Andre 3000 Pictures

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)

There's plenty to watch on network television, but we have long been living in the Golden Age of Cable. Ever since HBO told us, "It's not TV. It's HBO," we've been hooked. Ponying up the money for cable can be difficult, but these channels make it worth the price.

The Veterans:

HBO has lost many of the signature shows that made it a household name. The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Six Feet Under - they were all instrumental in defining HBO as the channel for daring, intelligent and mature programming. But don't write off the channel just yet. While its new series don't quite match the ...

Imagine this: through some temporal anomaly, rift in the space time continuum, or other such unique phenomenon, we are transported to an alternate reality. This new world is strikingly similar to our own, with one major exception. The television industry.

In this time-compressed universe, every show in the history of television is currently in production. All original actors/writers/producers are alive. Each show is exactly as it was in its prime, although the number of episodes in each show's original run is irrelevant.

In this brave new world, where every series is in ex...

Television actors must deal with the stigma of being TV stars instead of movie stars. However, some of our favorite movie stars started their acting careers on a TV show. So there is hope for all the celebs who have big-screen aspirations. Here is a look at some of the biggest stars in Hollywood who have made the leap from the small screen to the big screen:

Will Smith

Will Smith should be labeled "The King of the Box Office." His movies often make millions. His latest film "I Am Legend" broke all December opening records at the U.S. box office with a staggering $72.6 million openin...

1) Ryan Gosling is easily one of the most underrated male actors in Hollywood today. The Golden Globe-nominated actor made his television debut at a very young age in "The Mickey Mouse Club" alongside future superstars J.C. Chasez and Justin Timberlake of *NSYNC, Christina Aguilera, and Britney Spears.

Gosling has appeared in several movies, including "Remember The Titans," "The Believer," Murder By Numbers," "Stay" and "The Notebook." Gosling didn't receive much recognition for his acting chops until he was nominated for his role as a drug addict teacher in the sleeper hit "Half Nels...

The writers of TV dramas Lost, The Shield and Criminal Minds have been praised for the way they accurately portray torture scenes. New York-based charity Human Rights First has nominated the three shows, together with The Closer and Boston Legal, for the organization's first Primetime Torture Awards.

The bizarre honor will be bestowed on the writers of the drama that best depicts realistic torture and interrogation.

Human Rights First spokesman David Danzig says, "As incongruous as it may seem for a human rights group to honor the depiction of torture, these awards recognize tha...

Catch a wave of "terrific adventure" and "non-stop action" (CBS-TV) in the fun and fantastically entertaining follow-up to the worldwide hit film as Q4 kicks off in true Fox style on October 2, 2007 with the DVD and Blu-ray Disc (BD) release of Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer. The world's premiere superhero team, The Fantastic Four, meets their greatest challenge yet as the enigmatic, intergalactic herald, The Silver Surfer, comes to Earth to prepare it for destruction. As the Silver Surfer races around the globe wreaking havoc, Reed, Sue, Johnny and Ben must unravel the mystery o...