We couldn’t be more thrilled that Arrested Development creator/exec producer/comedy god Mitch Hurwitz is making a new dysfunctional-family sitcom pilot for CBS, Happiness Isn’t Everything. Sure, there’s cause for a tiny bit of concern that the CSI network could strangle the quirky brilliance right out of such a project, but the fact is it has quietly turned itself into a home for solid — if not wildly daring — comedy with The New Adventures of Old Christine, How I Met Your Mother, and yes-sorry-it-grew-on-us Big Bang Theory. (We love Christine and Mother so much, in fact, that we’re almost willing to forgive Gary Unmarried.) And, well, we’re even going to say the Happiness casting looks strangely promising, with Richard Dreyfuss now set as the patriarch and Jason Biggs as one of his grown children showing shades of Jeffrey Tambor (solid character actor of a certain age without a lot of promising film roles to fill these days) and Jason Bateman (onetime teen star no one really knows what to do with now). Now all we need is a Lucille Bluth… may we humbly suggest Lucille Bluth herself, Jessica Walter? We miss her boozing around 90210.
What do you think? Are you as excited about Hurwitz’s Happiness as we are? Are Richard Dreyfuss and Jason Biggs up to the job?
Clever banter, movement in major story lines, and a new reason to hate Tommy Walker. That’s Brothers & Sisters the way we like it.
Remember when MacGyver used to be a perfect little pop culture reference to pop into an otherwise ordinary situation? When saying "I totally MacGyvered my stalled car engine using lipgloss and Eclipse Polar Ice Sugar-Free Gum" was a whimsical, I’m-a-child-of-the-’80s way of saying you cleverly fixed your broken-down vehicle yourself? Yeah, well, the forces of Hollywood couldn’t possibly let that little corner of pop culture lie underexploited any longer. First, there was a "MacGruber" skit on Saturday Night Live, in which the title dude fails every time to stop a bomb from going off using rubber bands, chewing gum, etc. Fine, funny. Then there were many MacGruber skits on Saturday Night Live. And you know what? Still funny. Then MacGruber kinda stepped over the line and sold out, doing Pepsi ads during the Super Bowl. Now it was like 50 percent funny — at least they went self-aware and had him rename himself Pepsuber — and 50 percent too much. (If SNL isn’t sacred in this world, WHAT IS? Okay, you’re right, I remember the Night at the Roxbury movie, too.) Now that 
Confession: I am ridiculously excited for Lifetime’s 2009 Nora Roberts collection, which kicks off March 21 with 
Are you — much like Bonnie Tyler — holding out for a hero? We certainly are: For an upcoming issue, Entertainment Weekly will be compiling a list of the top 20 heroes in pop culture, past and present. But we also want to know, who are your top do-gooders? Indiana Jones? Luke Skywalker? Neo? The Little Mermaid? Wolverine? They could be from movies, TV, books, or comic books. So write your picks below, even if they’ve already been suggested: We’re going to compile the top vote-getters and announce them in the issue. (And we know what you’re thinking: "My mom or dad is my real hero." That’s all fine, but come on: Do they have a utility belt, bullwhip, or ability to save a roomful of hostages? We thought not. Let’s go for the biggies.)
Slow day at the office? I suggest you take a minute and 
Loved last night’s episode. Talk about taking people out of their comfortzone. The racers got a firsthand taste of the frigid Russian climatewe’ve grown to love on this show. I’ve never seen so many stunnedlocals in my life. 
