Cardsfan1027: Gail,
Do you know if Showtime's original series "Brotherhood" is coming back for a third season? I think it is the most underrated drama on TV. With all due respect to "The Sopranos" I think I enjoy Brotherhood more.

Gail: "Brotherhood" returns with eight new episodes on Nov. 8. This is a show I respect but don't connect with, but nice that you've found something to keep you going post-"Sopranos."

Dexter: What were your thoughts on the first 3 episodes of Heroes this season? Do you think it has returned to form and is as good as the first season? Or do you think the remnants of season 2's suckiness still remain? Or maybe that it is on the road to recovery but isn't there yet?

Gail: Good as Season 1? Not close.
As sucky as the first part of Season 2? No, thank goodness.
As to whether it's on the road to recovery, though, I can't be sure. Parts of "Villains" have been fabulous, but other parts (Hiro off on another mission?) just annoy me. The big problem, though, as we've discussed here at the office, is that some of us find ourselves really confused. I'd have insisted I understood what was going on through last season, but a lot of this season leaves me baffled and frustrated.

Hey Lindsey: What were your thoughts on the Chuck premiere? I thought it was ah-mazing.

Gail: I still have it on the DVR but haven't watched it yet -- not a good sign. I just turned around to my editor, Jody, a big "Chuck" fan, and asked what she thought. She didn't watch it either. So we'll have to go with your review of ah-mazing.

garricks: OUCH! Tuesday's Tonight Show listed Ellen and Jerry O'Connell as guests. Ellen did a great interview, and then we got...Robert Wagner! I'm guessing Jerry cancelled thanks to the cancellation of his horrible show, Do Not Disturb. Personal not to Jer: You should have learned from "Carpoolers," stop playing womanizing cads!I enjoyed the Wagner interview as well as Ellen's heartfelt time. Gail, what did you think?

Gail: Do you think Jerry canceled Jay or Jay canceled Jerry after Fox canceled "Do Not Disturb." (What an awful show that was!!!) I always enjoy Ellen and have got to pick up that Robert Wagner book, but if I'm not on the DVR at 10:35, I'm usually with either Dave or Colbert.

Marcia: I'd heard that "24" was going to have a special episode to recap the previous season - since it wasn't on at all last year due to the writers' strike. Do you know if/when it will be on or should I just rent the DVD?

Gail: What you've probably heard about is the "24" movie that will air in November and set up the new season in January. You could rent the DVDs or just blow it off; most "24" fans though the most recent season was missable. There are also clips from Season 6 on HULU.com.

golfnutbucket: Hey Gail,

Yay! Neal E. Boyd won! Yay!
Anyways, do you have any plans to interview him now that he's the winner? I would like more details about him. I'd like to know if he's been classically trained and if he still takes vocal lessons, whether he plays an instrument, does he have some interest from recording companies, etc etc.

Gail: I won't interview Neal again for awhile, but I hope our classical music writer will catch up with him as he advances his career. Did you read my story Wednesday? It talked about how he attended the New England Conservatory of Music but had to drop out because of vocal polyps, so he's been classically trained to that extent. And his goal for spending the prize is to study with opera greats.

leeandpam: Hi Gail- Okay, I am just making sure. The Office will not be shown after the Debate is over tonight, correct? Do you know if they will actually show Survivor here or will KMOV pre-empt that with local coverage from Wash U?
I wish they would have scheduled it Friday night like the debate last week. Don't they know they are messing with our sacred Thursday night line-up? ha Have a great vacation!

Gail: The debate should be great TV, but like you, I think a night other than Thursday would have been nice. Friday is a perfect night. The plan is for 7 o'clock shows (including "Survivor" and "Earl") to air, but nothing but debate after that. The CW will be new with "Smallville" and "Supernatural" at 8 and 9, though.

gpennington: Hi, guys. I got caught in debate traffic on the way downtown, so I'm running a teensy bit late today. Before we start, though, let me remind you that there's no chat next week because I'm on vacation. (Yay! Vacation!) But I'll open the chat for Oct. 16 as soon as this one ends, so if you have thoughts you can post them before they slip your mind.

Gail: Once again, my intro wound up down in the questions. I used to get this right but have clearly blanked on the order for the procedure. And I thought I was trainable....

RoseMarie: Will OCTOBER ROAD be back this year? I can't remember if it was on
channel 11, 30 or Lifetime.

Gail: Maybe that's why "October Road" was dropped by ABC.

garricks: Gail,

Sunday's Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters rocked my world! So many twists and turns. I think most of the shows are strong out of the gate post-strike. I'm trying to break up with some shows, but it's proving to be difficult.

Gail: On the other hand, I feel inclined to break up with most shows, even my old favorites. I thought "Housewives" was manipulative, and not in a good way, and spent too much time on silliness, including Gabi and her chubby daughter. Yes, I know it considers itself a comedy, but I like a little more substance. On "Brothers & Sisters," I just don't feel involved with the characters anymore. And you read what I'm thinking about my beloved "Heroes." But maybe it's just me.

Kathleen: I think it's a disgrace to put you and Dr. Donohue on the inside of the funny papers.

Not everyone has a computer to check on the TV programs of the night, especially older folks and don't know why it is such a problem to list the programs only in the Sunday Paper. They should put the funny paper on the front page.

Gail: Not sure how to take that. Is it a disgrace to me and the good doctor, or a disgrace to the comics? In any case, they didn't ask me where I'd like to run. (I'd have said the front page, of course.) I'm just a worker bee doing the best I can.

Mentok: Are you still onboard with Fringe? If you gave up before this week's episode, you really need to pick it up again.

Maybe the Observer is working for the Dharma Initiative.

Gail: I haven't given it up; it's still in my "series recordings." But I haven't felt compelled to watch the last two episodes yet. I'll take your thoughts to heart, however.

JPF: I heard you say on radio 550 that you were considering dumping "Fringe." Like you I wanted to like it more than I do, however I am sticking with it. How are the ratings, and should I invest more time if its going to be cancelled anyway?

Gail: Fox just picked "Fringe" up for the full season, so go on and get involved. And Mentok says it's getting good. I was just really put off by the last episode I saw, the one about the anti-aging sperm, or whatever the plot was.

Tori: With Project Runway about to wrap up, any word on when Top Chef will be back, and anything about the new season?

Gail: "Top Chef" returns to Bravo Nov. 12. It's back in New York, and there's a new judge, Toby Young, billed as a food critic and best-selling author. Once again, no contestants are from these parts, although one is Italian and another is from Finland.

Jas: So the whole reason that I watch Private Practice is for Piz...who is actually called Dell on the show. In last night's premiere, Piz quit the practice. Will he be back? Or is Chris Lowell off of the show?

Sidenote: if Chris Lowell off the show opens him up to do a Veronica Mars movie, I'm all for it.

Gail: I don't see any indication that he's left. I think that's a plot twist.
Rumors keep circulating about a "Veronica Mars" movie, but I'd be very, very surprised if we ever see one.

Lauren: Have you heard anymore about Rosie O'donnell getting a new show? I miss her on TV.

Gail: Rosie O'Donnell is going to do "Rosie's Variety Show" on NBC the night before Thanksgiving. But it's a special, not a new series. I'm not a big fan (OK, not a fan at all) of variety shows; I'd rather see her do crafts than that.

Jimmie: I am trying to get to the site to read your discussion, but can't seem to find it.

Gail: You're here.

leeandpam: Have you watched Project Runway from last night? Has that changed your mind who you think will win? I can't make anymore comments in case you haven't watched it yet.

Gail: Thanks, Pam, for being considerate. I was watching and writing about the "America's Got Talent" finale last night, and I didn't have time to settle in with "Project Runway" afterward, so I saved it. By the time we chat again, I guess it will all be over!

JF: Any word on whether any other network might pick up Swing Town, which was dropped by CBS?

Gail: Uh, no. CBS has shopped it all over, but nobody has jumped in. But Bravo is going to air reruns of the 13-episode season, beginning next Tuesday.

Kris: With all of the condensing in the P-D, especially the lack of tv listings in the daily paper, I have a request. In your "TV Picks" each day, it would be really helpful if that info could include the list of guests on the late night shows. There seems to often be some "white space" in that section that could maybe be used for that purpose. The list for the coming week used to be printed in the Sunday A & E section and that's no longer done either. It would just be nice to have and not have to get on your website instead.

Gail: The deadlines for that Everyday pullout are so early (Thursday morning for the whole next week) that talk show info isn't available. If I tried to put some in, it would be incomplete and out of date. So it's not a matter of space; it's a matter of time.

majigail: Gail, you're on my list. Worst Week? It was awful! I had to turn the premiere off after they got kicked out of the taxi because the drunk girl vomited on the guy. Hopefully, it got better, but I didn't stick around to find out. Is that really the best the writers could do after their break?

Gail: What can I tell you? It made me laugh. I thought it had the same sensibility as the few other comedies that actually made me laugh.

Matt B.: GP;

Are St. Louis specific ratings available online? How do the late night shows rate (does Jay beat Dave? How does Kimmel do?)?

Matt B.

Gail: The stations buy the ratings from Nielsen for their own use. They would only make available what made them look good. I do see each day's ratings, but even if the stations (which give them to me as a courtesy) let me put them up, it would be a huge spreadsheet that would be almost impossible to interpret. I can tell you, though, that in September, Dave had a 4.9 rating and 10 percent audience share. Jay had an 8 rating and 16.5 share. Kimmel had an 0.7 rating and 2 share.

Jen: I have another question Gail, The Unit, will they move it to a time slot that does not get screwed up by football? I love the show and have to try and remember to record the news afterwards so I can see it all.

Gail: As an "Amazing Race" fan, I feel your pain. You should record the whole hour afterward if you have a DVR, or just let the VCR run until 11 to be safe. However, "The Unit" was on the bubble for cancellation, and Sunday is a good time slot for CBS, so be grateful.

majigail: Yeah for Jim and Pam!!! Thoughts on the office!?

Gail: Jim's proposal in the rain at the truck stop was so sweet. I loved the season premiere.

Jen: How is SVU doing in the ratings? What is up with Elliott this season? He is so full of rage.

Gail: "SVU" ratings are always pretty good, but I think they've gone too deeply into the characters and their personal lives. Of course, the flip side is that this is the only "Law & Order" currently on NBC, so they must be doing what viewers like.

Matt: Any thoughts on Fringe? I really want to like the show, but it can be so over the top that I've decided to give up on it. Plus I think John Noble's character is the only likable one on the show and he's a nut case...

Gail: Mentok says to stick with it.

John: I was wondering if you watch "Californication" and what you thought of the new season.

Gail: I don't watch "Californication" -- it kind of repulses me.

Gail: That's all for today. Catch you again in two weeks, Oct. 16, same time same place.