UPDATE 2.11.10: I originally posted this last July, when buzz started that NBC was going to remake the classic James Garner drama The Rockford Files. The Hollywood Reporter recently mentioned Matt Dillon’s name as one of the actors producers were persuing for the redo, but in the last couple of days here at TVScreener.com, fans have been excitedly voicing their support for Stargate: Atlantis star Joe Flanigan as the man who could fill Garner’s Emmy-winning Rockford shoes.

I agree, Flanigan would be an excellent Jim Rockford, able to pull off the humor, the leading man charm, the action bits … Rockford producers, the people have spoken (and are continuing to speak). Is Mr. Flanigan on your Rockford Files short list?

FROM JULY 2009:
NBC is remaking the ’70s PI drama The Rockford Files, the classic series starring James Garner as trailer-dwellin’ ex-convict investigator Jim Rockford. NBC is moving the action to modern day, and here’s hoping they also stick with the character being in his 40s or 40s (Garner was 46 when the show began in 1974), which should make for interesting casting.

A few suggestions off the top of my head: Christian Slater, Jason Bateman (not that he’s headed back to TV anytime soon with his hot film career in full swing), Paul Rudd (ditto the film career) and Matthew Perry, who has been trying to get back to TV series work since the failure of his NBC dramedy Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip and his Showtime comedy The End of Steve didn’t make the cut at the cable network.

Any other ideas about who would make the perfect new school Jim Rockford?

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• Tags: '70s TV dramas, Christian Slater, James Garner, Jason Bateman, Joe Flanigan Rockford Files, Matthew Perry, Paul Rudd, The Rockford Files, The Rockford Files remake

You’ve seen them both: The original YouTube.com clipfest of David Caruso’s one liners from CSI: Miami, and the sequel, Caruso one liners with his sunglasses used for emphasis. Classic. So classic, in fact, that Jim Carrey even paid homage to Caruso’s performance as Horatio during an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman.

Turns out the actor and CBS have a sense of humor about the whole matter, and are now giving fans a chance to show off their own best Caruso impersonations. Upload a video of yourself reeling off a Horatio one liner, Caruso-style, and you could win $5,000. That buys a whole lot of Silhouette shades (the brand Caruso wears on the show).

The Original Caruso Clipfest

The Sunglasses Special Edition

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We already have the fall TV season’s most surprising cancelation: Southland.

The NBC cop drama wasn’t even scheduled to bow its second season until Oct. 23, but NBC has already pulled the plug, sadly, on the show that was one of the best network premieres last season. Part of the reason for the cancelation: NBC says the show’s too dark and gritty for the 9PM broadcast network hour, which, of course, is the latest slot NBC has available in primetime with the lame Jay Leno Show taking up 10PM Monday-Friday. Sigh.

Southland, a Warner Bros. TV production, started off as a midseason series on NBC last spring, taking over the timeslot vacated by another John Wells production, ER. The show won good ratings that dwindled as the episodes unfolded, but earned great critical reviews and had a loyal following heading into its new Friday night home for its second season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the show may be pitched to cable networks … Southland would fit in well with great dramas like Sons of Anarchy and Damages, don’t you think, FX execs?

Meanwhile, it’s bad enough that NBC’s new series – like the generically, forgettably-titled medical dramas Trauma and Mercy – have failed to wow anyone, but now the network is just throwing away the buzzworthy scripted series it could potentially nurture into a ratings hit?

Sad.

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• Tags: Southland, Southland canceled, The Jay Leno Show

I’m excited (hence the embarrassing overuse of exclamation points), as should every fan of teen angst TV dramas be, because Hulu.com is unspooling the complete series run (okay, it only ran for one season, but still) of the classic Claire Danes series My So-Called Life.

The 1994-95 gem, which should hover at or near the top of any TV lover’s list of the best teen dramas ever, has been available on DVD for awhile, but how cool to have it so handy to watch right at your desk. All that Jordan Catalano-y goodness, available on your computer 24-7.

By the way, if you want to delve right into the greatest MSCL moment of all time – when Jordan walks down the hall to Angela’s locker and holds her hand in front of everyone! – you will want to fast-forward to 45:30 in the “Self-Esteem” episode below:

So, what was your favorite MSCL episode or moment?

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Loved last night’s episode of Hung when pimp (pimpess?) Tanya (Jane Adams) served “Preacher Cookies” to her how-to-succeed-in-business group. The cookies were given their name, the character explained, because they could be whipped up in just a few minutes if your preacher made a pop-in visit. Cool explanation, but when I saw the cookies on screen, I realized they’re what I grew up calling No-Bake Cookies.

That name says it all – you don’t bake the fudgy, peanut butter-y, oatmeal-y treats; you literally cook them on the stove, no oven involved at all. They’re easy to make and delicious, and they were my Grandma Gilmore’s (yep, she’s a real Gilmore girl!) go-to-dessert for bake sales and any other occasion where a big supply of sweet goodies were needed.

The cookies are also referred to as “Boiled Oatmeal Cookies” (which sounds way less appetizing IMHO), “One-and-a-Half-Minute Cookies” and “Stove Top Cookies” in various parts of the country, but I’m sticking with No Bakes. Here’s my grandma’s recipe:

NO BAKE COOKIES
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
1/2 cup milk
4 heaping tablespoons Hershey’s cocoa powder
1 cup sugar
3 cups (uncooked) oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter

1 – Put the butter, milk, Hershey’s cocoa powder and sugar in a medium pot and bring to a boil for a minute and a half.
2 – Remove pot from heat. Immediately stir in peanut butter and oatmeal.
3 – Once mixture is well combined, drop by teaspoon or tablespoons-full onto sheets of newspaper covered with wax paper.
4 – Let cookies set up for several minutes to become solid. (And they are especially tasty once they’ve been refrigerated for a few hours).

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• Tags: Hung, Jane Adams, No Bake Cookies, Preacher Cookies