Random TV Talk

I've been writing about "The Amazing Race" regularly because of the presence of ex-Phillies coach Steve Smith, but I don't want to do similar updates for every show I watch. However, there are a few things on my mind about some TV shows, so I thought I'd just do a little summary here, and perhaps do it on a regular basis.

Earlier tonight I watched the first live "American Idol" of the season, featuring the 12 female singers performing. As usual, I saw nothing that made me think I'd ever buy one of their records. It was pretty mediocre, at best. If anything, the judges (other than Simon) were too nice at times. I wasn't overly impressed with Ellen, and Kara and Randy were their usual dimwitted selves. There was weak singing, there were poor song choices, and the whole thing really seems like the same old, same old (except now there's no potential Paula loopiness). And that's bad since I only started watching regularly three years ago. I'm about 99.9 percent sure that once Simon leaves I won't bother to watch again, but I don't know if I can sit through this season any more. I'll watch the guys perform this week, but after that?

I continue to enjoy "RuPaul's Drag Race." The challenges are surprisingly clever -- this week the queens trying to become America's Next Drag Superstar had to impersonate a celebrity. And the "Untucked" companion show, featuring the behind-the-scenes cattiness, is juicy. My only quibble with this season is that I haven't really developed any favorites yet. It would help if I had someone to root for, the way I was rooting for Ongina last year. There's still time for someone to step up, though.

On the other hand, I may finally be getting over "Desperate Housewives." This week was yet another of those episodes that revolves around one person, in this case the stripper who moved in with Susan and Mike. There was a little story involving each of the housewives, and at the end she was out, in and out. As in, moved out of Susan and Mike's, moved in with Katherine, and came out as a lesbian to Katherine. And they seem to be hinting that Katherine might be...exploring her options in the dating pool. It felt sort of icky, to be honest. There are still some funny lines here and there, but for the first time I'm wondering if the late Mary Alice should just go into the light once and for all instead of sticking around to narrate her friends' foibles from the great beyond.