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« Ausiello Report
Why Am I Thankful? Here Are 20 Reasons…
Keri Russell courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures, Smurf courtesy Peyo ©IMPS, Vanessa L. Williams by Bob D’Amico/ABC
On the surface, it may seem like us tube addicts have little to be thankful for this year. There was the cancellation of Veronica Mars. That rushed Gilmore Girls ending. The 11th-hour renewal of According to Jim. This writers' strike fiasco. And the list goes on.... But dig deeper, and I think you'll see that there is much we have to be grateful for. With that in mind, I went ahead and compiled a list of the 20 reasons I have to be thankful this Thanksgiving. Some of them are TV-related. Others not so much.
1. The consistent joy that is Ugly Betty. While other sophomore hits slumped (hi there, Heroes!), Betty soared to new heights creatively. The writing is sharper than ever, the direction dazzling, and the cast is as talented as they are down-to-earth.
2. Kristin Wiig's crazy-excitable Publishers Clearing House lady on SNL. Please tell me we haven't seen the last of her.
3. That Lost season finale. Team Darlton engineered the most thrilling capper since Twin Peaks' Season 1 climax.
4. Bill Lawrence. His promise to Scrubs fans that they'll get their final episode, strike or no strike, reinforces what I've always known: In a town full of pretentious phonies, he's the genuine article.
5. The Smurfs are coming... to DVD!
6. 30 Rock's intentionally shameless product placements. When Tina Fey looked directly into the camera last Thursday and asked the folks at Verizon, "Can we have our money now?" I thought I'd died and gone to heaven.
7. The Veronica Mars FBI trailer. Sure, it was painful to think about what could've been. But the joy of seeing our girl Veronica back in action one more time far outweighed any heartache.
8. Mister Scooch and the Litter Kwitter. You too can be just 60 days away from a litter-free home.
9. Michelle Forbes in Battlestar Galactica: Razor. If there is a more badass sci-fi vixen out there, I haven't met her. (See her in action Saturday night on Sci Fi!)
10. Keri Russell. Just because.
11. Vintage Santa Barbara clips on YouTube. Particularly anything involving the keywords Eden and Cruz, Flame and Emmy.
12. Tyra and Landry on Friday Night Lights. Never have two people so wrong for each other felt so right.
13. The best freshman crop in years. Pushing Daisies, Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Aliens in America, Samantha Who?... and the list goes on.
14. Frozen grapes. The best guilt-free binge snack since air-popped popcorn. (Runner-up: Sugar-free/fat-free pudding with fat-free whipped cream.)
15. The unsung heroes of my Ausiello Report vodcast. No, not the host/star, the crew — particularly exec producer Don Gaile and our Barbie wranglers, Adam Schubak and Andrew Kornhaber.
16. Friends, family, good health, blah, blah, blah….
17. Facebook. OMG! Anderson Cooper wants to be my friend!
18. My Smurftastic Christmas tree. Photos are coming....
19. Nao at Kodama Sushi. Much more than just another NYC waitress, she's the secret ingredient that makes sushi night so much fun.
20. The Aushole community. Could I do it without you guys? Probably. Would it be as much fun? Sure. Um… where was I going with this?
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Nov 21, 2007 2:58 PM
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Thanks Michael for sharing your reasons to be thankful. I couldn't agree with you more about Ugly Betty, the Veronica Mars FBI trailer, and Tyra/Landry on FNL! Happy Thanksgiving.
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Nov 21, 2007 4:09 PM
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Best freshman crop in years? I have to disagree. Maybe I am not watching the right shows, but I have been kinda unimpressed with this year's crop of shows.
Actually, the only new shows I watch with any regularity are Chuck and Reaper. And neither one of them are really on my must watch list. I liked Pushing Daisies when it started, but the whole fairy tale with overnarrations kinda weared on me. I guess I am not in the Gossip Girl demo. Watched Cane, Carpoolers, Bionic Woman, Life, and Journeyman; but weren't sucked in by any of them.
In fact, I have been sucked in by more non-network new series like Damages and Burn Notice since last television season than new network shows.
Maybe I hang out by the wrong watercooler, but there is no watercooler show like Heroes was last year in this year's crop of new shows.
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Nov 21, 2007 4:20 PM
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30 Rock's product placements ARE beyond amazing.
And you KNOW that you wouldn't have the will to do this if we weren't here, bugging you incessantly for scoop 24/7/365. We are the ones who give you that darn egotistical big-headed personality that makes you you that we deal with only because you give us the scoop :D
Happy Turkey Day!
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Nov 21, 2007 4:39 PM
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Couldn't agree with you more on 30 Rock's product placements. I didn't think I could love that show more; I was wrong.
Also agreed on the Veronica Mars FBI trailer. Although it's devastating that this show wasn't picked up, it was nice to see new VM footage one last time.
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Nov 21, 2007 5:33 PM
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although the real thanksgiving was weeks ago... 
Happy Thanksgiving Mike.
And I guess I'm thankful for all exclusive scoops, and will be lots more if you put in more Moonlight (hint hint) goodies...
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Nov 21, 2007 5:53 PM
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NorthernStar- the real thanksgiving? Are you a fan of Mother?
Yes, I agree with some of the points- that being Friday Night Lights and some of the new shows...oh, and of course- Ugly Betty. Happy Thanksgiving!
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Nov 21, 2007 6:42 PM
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Oh man that was the first time I've seen the Veronica Mars trailer! While I am thankful to see it, it makes me soooo sad to know that it'll never happen! Stupid CW execs!!!
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Nov 21, 2007 6:55 PM
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NorthernStar- the real thanksgiving? Are you a fan of Mother?
Well, if NorthernStar's s/n means what I think it means, then perhaps they are referring to the Canadian Thanksgiving... as ours is in October.
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Nov 21, 2007 7:13 PM
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I knew someone here would recognize the reference. 
Good catch guys! (yes, I'm up in Canada, and yep, fan of HIMYM)
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Nov 21, 2007 10:20 PM
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Santa Barbara clips on Youtube? I'll have to check 'em out. Hopefully some stuff during the glory days (pre-Pam Long).
Thankful for VCRs (don't have a tivo yet) because of Mondays (Chuck/Heroes and DWTS) and Thursdays (Survivor and Ugly Betty and My Name is Earl/30 Rock).
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Nov 22, 2007 12:16 AM
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Happy Thanksgiving, Ausiello! I'm thankful for so much on TV (love 30 Rock's product placements, too) but I'm also thankful for you and all the snark and scoop you provide.
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Nov 22, 2007 12:21 AM
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Amen to #9.
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Nov 22, 2007 3:25 AM
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I'm thankful for a lot of reasons too, blah blah blah. But in the TV realm of all that, I'd like to add that I'm thankful for this past summer. There were a ton of great summer programs this year, and it definitely made it easier once the regular season finales were finished. Burn Notice, Psych, Monk, Design Star, and My Boys were particular highlights for me, but I also intend to watch Mad Men, Damages, and some of those new Lifetime programs eventually. A lot to be thankful for over summer 2007!
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Nov 22, 2007 8:29 AM
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I love love love love KW in that SNL skatch too. I think that KW is the best thing that happen to SNL in looong years.
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Nov 22, 2007 12:03 PM
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