The Television Critics Association summer press tour is a TV columnist's best friend, as the annual event provides shockingly easy access to network executives, showrunners, on-air talent and, yes, even other journalists, who all descend upon a luxury hotel in Beverly Hills with a single but complicated goal: to make sense of the upcoming fall television schedule.
Sometimes for all the flashing lights, sizzle reels, and pretty people who cross the stage, networks let slip some actual information.
Here's what we learned at the TCAs -- and what we didn't.
1. Peter Tolan wears skimpy underwear
Critics who hit FX's panel for "Rescue Me" bore witness to something more disturbing than anything that occurred during the earlier session touting Ryan Murphy's spooky new drama, "American Horror Story": show co-creator Peter Tolan's turquoise underwear, in all its banana-hammock glory.
His revealing sight gag provided the most memorable moment of the entire press tour -- even if the sight of Tolan in his skivvies is sure to haunt us forever. In fact, networks bringing their shows to press tour ought to find video tape of the "Rescue Me" session to learn see how Tolan and his cohort Denis Leary endeared themselves to critics through a strict policy of no B.S. and outlandish humor.
Other sessions that could act as a blueprint for press tours to come: the ones for Fox's "New Girl," at which Zooey Deschanel denied being adorable; CBS's "2 Broke Girls," which confirmed our suspicion that Kat Dennings is a talent worth watching; and PBS' chat with Cameron Crowe. Despite what you might have heard, it's not hard to entertain us, networks!
2. The 1990s are back
A quick look at the offerings touted by the various MTV Networks might lead you to think television has time-warped to the Clinton years.
MTV has tapped Mike Judge to revive "Beavis and Butt-head" and may bring back "Daria," as well. TeenNick touted its huge ratings for a nostalgia block featuring "Rugrats," "Clarissa Explains It All," and other 1990s classics. And VH1 is putting together fresh episodes of "Pop-Up Video."
ABC is hoping Tim Allen can drum up ratings for "Last Man Standing" even close to those of "Home Improvement." The CW showcased former WB/UPN star Sarah Michelle Gellar's "Ringer." And PBS provided the highlight of the tour's first week with its screening of and panel hawking "Pearl Jam Twenty," Cameron Crowe's immensely enjoyable look back at the Seattle rock giants. With the economy in the proverbial wormhole, a trip to the days when America had a budget surplus might not be the worst idea in the world.
3. Simon Cowell doesn't care about Jennifer Lopez's contract, either
We had hoped to get official confirmation from Fox that Jennifer Lopez had signed a contract to return as a judge for the eleventh season of "American Idol" -- but we're still waiting on that announcement.
