After only three episodes, "The Playboy Club" lost its liquor license this morning. Here are four other new shows likely to follow suit shortly, due to disappointing ratings.

"Prime Suspect," NBC

Average rating in the 18-49 demo: 1.6

"Prime Suspect" is the prime suspect. Most TV experts saw promise in Maria Bello as a scrappy outsider who battles discrimination and distrust in the NYPD. But you saw nothing. The show was gunned down by CBS's "The Mentalist" and ABC's "Private Practice," and continues to slip.

"Charlie's Angels," ABC

Average rating: 1.8

Good morning, angels, and good night. America just isn't digging a chintzy remake of a chintzy '70s series whose success was based largely on the lack of Internet porn and good cable TV at the time. The show was fourth in its time slot, slipping 29 percent in ratings from its first to second weeks. 

"Free Agents," NBC

Average rating: 1.5

Look for stars  Hank Azaria and Kathryn Hahn to soon be free agents, too. Their workplace chemistry just never made the cut. Reportedly, the sitcom lost a million of its 6 million viewers between the start and finish of its first episode.

"How to Be a Gentleman," CBS

Average rating: 2.7

Wait, is this an "Entourage" subplot? It seems Kevin Dillon can't command any respect as a real-life actor, either. This snoozer was CBS's lowest-rated sitcom, and The Eye traditionally cancels its lowest- rated. Maybe they should try giving in to Andrew "Dice" Clay's outrageous salary demands.

 

"Glee" has long claimed to be about the underdog -- and three season's in, it's finally living up to that reputation. In tonight's episode, "Asian F," the Fox smash focuses for once on its own underdogs -- the power-piped Amber Riley, who plays Mercedes, finally gets a turn in the spotlight in this week's episode. Tonight's episode triggers a storyline about the long-running rivalry between Lea Michele's devious diva Rachel Berry and Mercedes, who's been hoping to steal the show but never gets a shot. Riley rivets with her take on Jennifer Hudson's "Spotlight." 

Anderson Cooper is making news today, but not in a good way. With his daytime show "Anderson" only in its third week, a teenager who was set to appear in an upcoming episode was injured during preparation. The unnamed teen was asked to provide video of himself doing "the crazy things he does," and his efforts to create something new landed him in a coma. "Today" jumped on the story, calling to question daytime's endless desire to create hype and whether "Anderson" is at fault.

Bing: More about Anderson Cooper

 

"I was very saddened to hear the news of this accident and want to express my deepest concerns for the teenager who was injured," Cooper said in a statement. "I take this situation seriously, and my thoughts and prayers for his health, well-being and recovery are with him and his family."

The story, first broken by Gawker on Friday, is that the teen was asked to bring in footage of himself being a crazy teen for an upcoming episode. In preparation for the episode, he tried to make a new video of himself doing a wild move on his skateboard, only to fall and land in the hospital. With the teen in a reported coma, production of "Anderson" was halted and host Cooper is purportedly -- and reasonably -- distraught over the accident.

 

While the show admits it asked for footage, a release from "Anderson" was quick to point out that they didn't ask the teen to wild out and create new video. "Our producers were working with a teen and his parents on a show about the science of the Teenage Brain, based on a National Geographic story," said the release. "As part of our routine process, we ask guests for video footage and photos. We did not provide the family with a camera. On the morning that they were supposed to travel to NYC, we learned that the teen had been injured. We are very concerned about him, and are thinking of him and his family at this time."

 

This morning, "Today" reported on the story, questioning whether a producer did in fact "encourage dangerous behavior" and raising the familiar daytime question of "How far is too far?"

 

Unfortunately, the accident may just have proved the point of the halted "Anderson" episode and the National Geographic story. Teenagers do crazy, stupid things, because their brains are still forming. Hopefully, however, a producer didn’t play a part in this tragedy by actually asking one to behave foolishly, as Gawker and "Today" suggest.

"Anderson" and "Today" air weekdays.  

By Vinnie Penn

Special to MSN TV

 

When I answer my cell, I am attending a raucous happy hour (hosting it, if you want be technical). I am a few beers deep and convince myself I am capable of conducting an interview with the hilarious Nick Swardson ("Reno 911!," Adam Sandler's "Just Go With It," the titular "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star"). Yet I somehow manage to spend at least half of the interview discussing "Blades of Glory."

 

Bing: More about Nick Swardson | 'Nick Swardson's Pretend Time'

 

MSN TV: You have that character down of, "He loves that dude, but does he love that dude?" [Astonishingly, he seems to know exactly what I'm talking about.]

 

Nick Swardson: Totally.

 

Will we see recurring characters on the TV show?

 

Swardson: I don't think so. Once I do a character, I'm pretty much done with him. My character on "Reno" is the longest one I played, and probably the only one I could ever play that long, or want to.

That is not necessarily true. What about "Gay Robot," a character that was included in every episode of Season 1 of "Pretend Time," and originally appeared on Adam Sandler's comedy album, "Shhh ... Don't Tell"?

 

[Season 2 of Swardson's sketch comedy show for Comedy Central sees one of Happy Madison's key players these days sitting out the silver screen once again, and if what he proceeds to tell me will be seen this season is half as funny as it sounds, his next movie could be "Pretend Time: The ... well ... Movie." That said, he's still got "Jack & Jill," Sandler's next movie coming, which he's a part of and which Swardson described as "insane and probably my favorite Sandler movie ever."]

 

Swardson: The one thing I love about my career is that nothing tracks consistently.

 

I don't know about that.

 

[Swardson's been consistently outrageous, from the aforementioned "Reno" to his well-attended stand-up gigs (and a highly rated one for Comedy Central) to his outré characters, like the obsessed fan in "Blades" and a misguided porn star wannabe in "Bucky."  Both Carol Burnett and Sarah Silverman were mentioned, the latter of who had an outrageous show on Comedy Central as well. I'm pretty sure I'm the one who brought them up. Talking about Silverman leads me to inquire if he's going to push similar boundaries, if he, in fact, has even prodded to.]

 

Swardson: Actually, they've told me to tone it down a little, that it's too aggressive. It's crazy. It's out there.

 

[When I ask for a specific example, he goes on to detail a sketch in the season premiere (which airs Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central) that is basically an infomercial for a unique way for guys to get great abs -- by pleasuring themselves. Don't believe him? Don't believe me? Check out "Pretend Time" www.comedycentral.co​m. The Season 2 premiere also includes a discussion on dive bars and a spoof of MTV's "16 & Pregnant."]

 

MSN TV: So, in conclusion (the last of the buffalo wings at the happy hour going fast), if you had to describe the series using one word …

 

Swardson: Filth.

 

"Nick Swardson's Pretend Time" premieres Wednesday, Oct. 5, at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on Comedy Central.

 

Vinnie Penn's friends began calling him "Dr. TV" in grade school. He knows everything Bart has ever written on the chalkboard. He is the host of "The Vinnie Penn Project." www.vinniepenn.net 

 

Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin may be the most frequent hosts in 36 years of  "Saturday Night Live." But Melissa McCarthy is the funniest.

This weekend, the "Mike & Molly" Emmy winner and "Bridesmaids" star plowed like a tank of funny into sketches such as "Arlene," in which she made a power play for the super-uninterested office worker at the next desk (Jason Sudeikis).

"Bridesmaids" producer Judd Apatow tweeted that the scene, in which McCarthy busted out stripper moves and fondled a horse balloon in the crotch, "made me laugh harder than anything this year or decade."

In another killer sketch, McCarthy inhabited a loser so desperate for her slogan to be chosen for an ad campaign -- so she can earn the $50 she needs to "get out of a couple of jams" -- she gives herself a Ranch dressing shower.

Calling McCarthy the funniest guest host doesn't even do justice to her triumph, since "SNL" hosts are almost always out-funnied by the cast. What McCarthy did traces a straight line back to John Belushi and Chris Farley.

 

Video: Watch more clips

"Hey SNL -- more hosts like Melissa McCarthy, please," tweeted Patton Oswalt.

Christina Applegate joined in: "Melissa McCarthy was pure bliss hosting SNL."

"Raising Hope" star Shannon Woodward tweeted that she laughed so hard, "I'm getting a six pack watching Melissa McCarthy on SNL. Incredible. I can't breathe."

Saturday night's episode, which featured Lady Antebellum as the musical guest, averaged a solid 5.2 rating, a 2 percent increase over last week's Alec Baldwin-hosted season premiere.

 

Who ever thought that going number two in a sink could take you to number one in such a blink?

 

"No more prolonging the inevitable." – Walter White 

Just what is inevitable and what is the result of the various machinations of this story's players seems to still be up for debate. Everyone has different pieces of the story and each individual is acting on what he or she believes to be the most important facts available. Of course, everyone is at least partly wrong, and no one, including the audience, is completely filled in by the almost unbearably tense ending of "End Times".

For example, look at the seemingly simple scene when Skyler and Junior first arrive at Hank and Marie's. Hank is totally unconvinced of the seriousness of the threat on his life (wrong) and totally focused on trying to nail the man he believes is the drug kingpin of New Mexico (right). Marie, on the other hand, is properly freaking out that Hank is in danger, and incorrectly believes that Walt is not giving the anonymous tip any weight.  Skyler is the most aware of how much very real danger everyone is in, but she is also entertaining the idea that she will never see her husband again. But, as we know, Walt is trying to take the reins of his life again, with a vengeance.

First, however, it was necessary that Walt and Jesse take their new dysfunctional and co-dependent relationship right up to the brink of finality, with Jesse pressing that gun into Walter forehead, listening to him scream "Do it!" Realistically, we know that can't happen, but Aaron Paul was so believably devastated and Bryan Cranston so chillingly nihilistic that it all felt frighteningly real.  It had to involve the collateral death (or near-death, since it isn't clear if Brock will survive) of a true innocent for these two men to team up together to try to destroy Gus once and for all. They do not succeed, thanks to Gus's seemingly super-human levels of smelling a rat, and there is no guarantee they will be able to (or have to) kill him. But Walter and Jesse are back on the same side and that will have to be sufficient until the guaranteed fireworks of the season finale next week.

• Breaking it down part one: so if Gus has Brock poisoned, and Jesse did have the deadly cigarette in his possession that morning, how did Tyrus (or whoever) get the ricin into Brock's food (or whatever) so quickly? I'm willing to believe that, because he is a child, that amount of ricin would act quicker than on an adult, but that stills seems like a pretty quick turnaround.
• Breaking it down part two: Just how DID Gus know about the ricin? Walt makes the reference to "cameras everywhere" but they did the cigarette filling at Jesse's house. Is it bugged? Hidden cameras at both their houses? Even for Gustavo Fring, Criminal Mastermind, this is a seriously elaborate plan
• Final breakdown: If it is true that this was all a protracted way to get Jesse to be the one who knocks for Walt, that is my least favorite trope of all time. Relying on a human being to have the exact response that you need in the exact time period that you need is a pretty fragile base to build your plan upon. I am willing to give Vince Gilligan and company the benefit of the doubt on this until next week, however.
  
• I did love the whole sequence of Steve searching the laundry. Perfect story, perfect timing of the manager's reactions, and perfect reveal of the drug sniffing dog. Nice work there.

 

This show certainly isn't shy about announcing its themes plainly and often. Using the slightly incorrect, but common vernacular of "Ourselves Alone" for the Irish Sinn Fein as a title and then featuring scene after scene of different folks isolated and wary of their surroundings, using their cunning to get out of difficult situations, there was nothing hidden about the themes of tonight's episode. But despite some heavy-handedness, there was a plethora of great character moments on display.

Most likely, the fan favorite will be the Chalky White's little adventure in the Atlantic City jail. Michael K. Williams is an expert at this kind of slow-burn menace, and this was certainly a showcase for him in every respect.  Chalky can just bide his time, perhaps genuinely trying to rise above the psycho taunts of Dunn Purnsley (played with flamboyance by Erik LaRay Harvey) and then unleash all of his loyal friends/customers to do the dirty work for him. This whole sequence was terrific, as most everything with Chalky usually seems to be.

Jimmy Darmody, on the other hand, is still feeling his way into the halls of power, dealing warily with cold as ice Arnold Rothstein, his old nemesis Lucky Luciano and the up and coming Meyer Lansky (as well as a great bewildered reaction to the antics of a young Bugsy Siegel).  He held his own in the meeting with Rothstein, but it is becoming clear that New York (and Chicago) is going the same way as Atlantic City: a new generation of hoods, criminals and power brokers are coming into play. The trickiest thing to learn is when and how to cross over loyalties to the new regime, and Jimmy is still much more confident at meting out physical punishment such as slashing the throats of the two would-be thieves who were so belligerent at Lansky's poker game. Can he make the correct decision about his allegiance to the right man in Atlantic City?

That is a question that almost everyone in New Jersey seems to be struggling with in some form. Nucky has Mayor Ed, who is apparently so useless he wasn't even invited to the Commodore's conspiracy party as a courtesy, and Fleming, who might not be so eager to help if he knew that Nucky burned down that house he gave to him last year. The most trustworthy, smart, brave and realistic person in Nucky's life is Margaret. This is no surprise, although it was an exciting and pleasant surprise to have the whole internal conspiracy right out in the open so quickly, and the best part was getting to see the constantly underestimated Margaret come into her own so completely.  She got a chance to bond with the servants, call out the uptight IRA boss McGarrigle, secure her man's phony ledger and emergency cash, and give him the best advice he's had in a long time ("You're not thinking clearly now. You must concentrate and not give over to emotion."). And she did most of it while looking like a million bucks. That's my kind of gal.

• Steve Buscemi did some amazing acting in that phone call with his brother; you can see how much it hurts him to know that Eli is against him, but he never wavers in his honesty that he is only giving one chance.
• So the charming Mr. Sleater and his Ulster accent are sticking around? I couldn't decide who would be happier about that – the maid or her mistress?
• File under the Good Question Department: "Who are you Mr. Darmody?"
• "Did he fall into the shoe polish?"
• Lucky speaks Yiddish, and Meyer speaks Italian. Such a melting pot.
• Not one glimpse of Van Alden or Richard Harrow.  That's a bad thing. Not one glimpse (or sound) of Lucy. That's not such a bad thing.

 

By Minh Nguyen

The “Pan Am” pilot soared to great ratings (and many hearts) last weekend as we met strong, smart, different women who lived such glamorous lives in the '60s. Karine Vanesse stars as Colette, the sophisticated French stewardess. Mike Vogel stars as Dean, the pilot who is heartbroken after his fiancée leaves him without an explanation. Colette and Dean will share a momentary flirtation in the romantic city of Paris. MSN TV had a chance to talk to Mike Vogel and Karine Vanesse about the upcoming episode which airs Sunday, October 2 at 10/9c on ABC.

MSN TV: Your characters share "a momentary romance"... what else can you tell me about this particular episode?

 

Karine Vanesse: Many different things. Obviously in the pilot, we had a chance to meet all the characters. Now we are just going a little deeper. We are more about the dynamic between the two sisters, Laura and Kate. We learn a little bit more about Bridgette, we learn what happened to her and why.

Mike Vogel: She broke my heart.

Karine Vanesse: Why am I smiling?

Mike Vogel: Because you’re heartless!

Karine Vanesse: I know there’s a little romance starting between them. She is there for him.

Mike Vogel: French in Paris. That helps out a little bit.

Karine Vanesse: Yes, because we’re going to Paris. Every week the crew is going to a different country and we get to travel with them.

 

Bing: More about 'Pan Am'

Do you actually go to the countries while filming or is it on a set?

Karine Vanesse: We have a wonderful imagination.

Mike Vogel: And a giant tele-porter that can take us anywhere at any time. We are shooting here in New York. What’s beautiful about New York is that it doubles for filming fantastic places around the world. New York is such an international city. It’s been great having a show here.

What's it been like filming a series that is set in the 60s? Anything we'd be surprised about or would never know happens when we're watching at home?

Mike Vogel: You mean off camera? I can’t speak for the girls but they’re literally suiting up in these outfits, these girdles. When we go on hour 14, hour 15, I see them shimmying uncomfortably.

Karine Vanesse: Yeah, we are.

Mike Vogel: At those moments, I start thanking God that I’m not wearing a girdle. However when it’s been humid and hot outside and we’re in polyester and wool pilot uniforms from that era, it’s no fun either. We both get the real end of the deal.

Karine, Pan Am has the most amazing uniforms, clothes, fashion. How fun is it to wear such amazing costumes, uniforms, jewelry?

Karine Vanesse: It’s so exciting to your body because you almost don’t recognize yourself when you see yourself in the mirror. Once you have the dress and girdle.

Mike Vogel: I started wearing one.

Karine Vanesse: I don’t recognize you without one. No actually, we’ve been shooting for 2 ½ months now? You see your shape changing a little bit, the waist. I didn’t know I had a waist. It’s so different when we go on set, of course we’re just wearing regular, comfy clothes but to realize back then you had to be dressed up, maybe not that dressed up all the time. People were wearing that. It’s so beautiful to wear but Mike was saying, it’s a little bit (of a) discomfort sometimes.

Is your waist actually getting smaller from wearing the girdle?

Mike Vogel: You’re squeezing it out a little.

Karine Vanesse: Yeah, squeezing it out and putting it elsewhere. (Laughing)

Mike Vogel: Just redistributing.

Karine Vanesse: You see pictures from the sixties and you wonder why women had these figures. I totally understand why now.

The show breaks a lot of stereotypes and barriers. It is also very action packed. What else can we look forward to as the season progresses? Mike, your character Dean is in love w/Bridgette and she disappears in the premier. Could you tell us about your romance with her?

Mike Vogel: Yeah, I think the show is challenging a lot of stereotypes. I think it’s the great thing about it. Forgive me for speaking for the stewardesses but at times people say, 'well they’re just serving coffee.' These women were not only beautiful, they were smart, they were all college educated, multi-lingual and they were out seeing the world at a time when most men were going to work and coming home. They were having experiences that people could only read about and dream about. I think it flips that stereotype on its head.

 

As for Dean and Bridget, he’s been cluelessly left. As we continue down the rabbit hole, the whole world (knows) that (it) truly exists, the relationship between Pan Am and Secret Service. We will start getting more information as to who Bridgette was, where she’s gone and there’s also some tracks that have been layed that will lead me in a different direction away from the truth. Like I said, all you can do in the pilot is serve out a bunch of storylines and now we get the fun of attacking them in detail.

 

"Pan Am" airs Sundays at 10p.m. ET/PT on ABC.