At long last…the wait is over! Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 has arrived to the home media platform.

Watch it NOW, On Demand, For Download and on Blu-ray combo pack.

Synopsis

Harry, Ron and Hermione set out on their perilous mission to track down and destroy the secret to Voldemort’s immortality and destruction – the Horcruxes. On their own and on the run, the three friends must now rely on one another more than ever…but Dark Forces in their midst threaten to tear them apart. Meanwhile the wizarding world has become a dangerous place. The long-feared war has begun and the Dark Lord has seized control of the Ministry of Magic and even Hogwarts, terrorizing and arresting all who might oppose him. The Chosen One has become the hunted one as the Death Eaters search for Harry with orders to bring him to Voldemort…alive

And check out the official Harry Potter Podcast at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/harry-potter-podcast/id432022882

And Blast is giving away a Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Prize Pack, including:

iTunes download of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1
T-shirt (adult size)
Keychain
• iPhone sticker skin

To enter, go the Blast Magazine Facebook page, and click “Like,” then comment on this post.

Good luck!

Will Ferrell began his stint on “The Office” Thursday night, as the countdown to Steve Carrell and Michael Scott’s exit comes to just two weeks.

While Ferrell and Carrell showed nearly instant chemistry, the episode that followed didn’t live up to the hype, prompting the question, can this series survive the exit of its star?

Ferrell portrayed DeAngelo Vickers, and while he wasn’t quite as vapid as Michael Scott, he’s still crazy in his own way, perfect for this nutty little universe “The Office” has created.

But in that, the show goes wrong. Instead of taking an opportunity to change the pace with the boss of the show, they keep going in the same direction, just with a different high-profile comic. Instead of trying to evolve the jokes, it’s more of the same-old, ridiculous and awkward situations created by the boss.

Michael Scott and Vickers take an immediate liking to each other, that is until the rest of the office loves Vickers. No one goes more out of character than Darryl, who goes to great lengths to impress the new boss, for reasons that aren’t exactly clear. This all makes Michael a little jealous, prompting him to attempt to one-up the new boss.

Vickers himself causes more than one situation that are somewhat humorous, but ridiculous. No boss would have these traits, at least not one who continues to find gainful employment. While Michael Scott’s unlikely rise has always had some basis in his strange effectiveness as a salesman, we don’t really get an explanation why someone with such strange eccentricities like Ferrell keeps getting work.

Ferrell’s got more episodes this season, including a few after Carrell’s last episode. But here’s hoping for a different boss, because this one didn’t exactly feel right.

Oh, and why don’t you Like Blast’s Facebook page?

The musical episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” was able to entice fans who had been neglecting the series of late, leading to a 4.8 in the demo, up 33% from last week. Reviews of the show have been mixed, but it seemed to attract viewers.

“American Idol” won the night for Fox as typical, drawing 22 million viewers and a 6.7 demo rating. It helped boost the special “Mobbed,” which drew a 3.8 in the demo and 10.5 million viewers.

“The Big Bang Theory” was strong at 9 pm, with a 3.6 in the demo, but “Rules of Engagement” was very poor, falling to a 2.3 rating — putting it in danger of cancellation in our Renew/Cancel scorecard. “CSI” and “The Mentalist” remained even with recent numbers.

NBC was in repeats for the night.

8 pm

American Idol: 6.7 demo, 22 million viewers

The Big Bang Theory: 3.6 demo, 11.7 million viewers

Wipeout: 1.9 demo, 6.4 million viewers

*Community: 0.9 dem, 2.2 million viewers

*The Vampire Diaries: 0.4 demo, 1.1 million viewers

8:30 pm

Rules of Engagement: 2.3 demo, 8.1 million viewers

Perfect Couples: 1.0 demo, 2.1 million viewers

9 pm

Grey’s Anatomy: 4.8 demo, 12.7 million viewers

Mobbed: 3.8 demo, 10.7 million viewers

CSI: 2.7 demo, 12.5 million viewers

*The Office: 1.5 demo, 3.1 million viewers

*Nikita: 0.4 demo, 1.1 million viewers

9:30

*Parks and Recreation: 1.1 demo, 2.3 million viewers

10 pm

The Mentalist: 2.9, 13.8 million viewers

Private Practice: 2.8 demo, 7.5 million viewers

*30 Rock: 1.0 demo, 2.1 million viewers

10:30 pm

*The Office: 1.0 demo, 2.1 million viewers

The TV Renewal/Cancellation Scorecard has been updated to reflect these numbers.

No surprise that “American Idol” was the most-watched program Thursday; it drew a 6.5 in the demo, more than three full points ahead of the next highest program for the night. It’s lead-in boosted “Bones” to season highs, where it drew a 3.4 in the demo.

“CSI” took advantage of the lessened competition at 9 pm; against “Bones” it came up second in the hour with a 3.1 demo, its highest in several months. “Big Bang Theory” was even versus its last airing, as was “Rules of Engagement” from its last post-”Theory” airing.

“Engagement” is performing solidly at 8:30 — a 2.8 is nothing to scoff at. But CBS has a long history of canceling these solid performing shows, especially its worst performing comedy. So who gets the boot, “$#!* my Dad Says” or “Rules of Engagement?”

* Repeat

8 pm

American Idol: 6.5 demo, 21.8 million viewers

Big Bang Theory: 3.8 demo, 12 million viewers

*Wipeout: 1.7 demo, 5.5 million viewers

*Community: 1.0 demo, 2.7 million viewers

*Vampire Diaries: .5 demo, 1.3 million viewers

8:30

Rules of Engagement: 2.8 demo, 9.5 million viewers

*Perfect Couples: .8 demo, 2 million viewers

9 pm

Bones: 3.4 demo, 11 million viewers

CSI: 3.1 demo, 14 million viewers

*Wipeout: 1.9 demo, 5.5 million viewers

*The Office: 1.4 demo, 3 million viewers

*Nikita: .3 demo, 1.1 million viewers

9:30

*Parks and Recreation: 1.1 demo, 2.5 million viewers

10 pm

The Mentalist: 3.0 demo, 14.4 million viewers

*Grey’s Anatomy: 1.2 demo, 3.5 million viewers

*30 Rock: 1.1 demo, 2.4 million viewers

*The TV Renewal/Cancel Scorecard has been updated to reflect these ratings.

NBC ran a full slate of re-runs Thursday night, but not just any re-runs: an unprecedented six consecutive episodes of “The Office.” They averaged 3 million viewers and a 1.4 rating for the night.

ABC was also in complete re-runs, while CBS aired all repeats except a new episode of “Rules of Engagement.” Good sign, bad sign, or just episodes to burn?

Oh yeah, Fox aired “American Idol.” Given that it aired against all re-runs, it had some of its highest ratings, and the highest ratings on Fox for a Thursday since 2007.

The reason many networks air re-runs the first week of March is February sweeps is over. A sweeps month is a month of more accurate broadcast viewership counting. These numbers are used by the networks to pitch television ad rates, which are almost exclusively based on the 18-49 viewership. So in the three sweeps months (November, February, May) networks try to air exclusively new content.

*repeat

8 pm

American Idol (8-10): 8.1 demo, 24.9 million viewers

*The Big Bang Theory: 2.5 demo, 9.1 million viewers

*Wipeout: 1.4 demo, 4.7 million viewers

*The Office (8-11, 6 Episodes): 1.4 demo, 3 million viewers

8:30

Rules of Engagement: 2.4 demo, 8.3 million viewers

9 pm

*CSI: 1.8 demo, 8.3 million viewers

*Grey’s Anatomy: 1.2 demo, 3.9 million viewers

10 pm

*The Mentalist: 1.9 demo, 10.4 million viewers

*Private Practice: 1.0 demo, 3 million viewers

No idea why everything last night was having trouble luring viewers (perhaps everyone was watching the Lakers/Celtics game?) but several shows hit season or series lows.

“Grey’s Anatomy” drew its lowest rating of the season with a 3.9 in the 18-49 demo. “Private Practice” was actually up a tick to a 2.7.

“American Idol” was down to a 7.2 in the demo, its lowest ratings of the season. It’s still a behemoth, but its looking like the show may dip in the high 5.0 realm before the seasons through–and that would be showing a God can bleed. “Bones” drew a 3.3, a much higher number than “Human Target” the night before, which came out of a much higher demo from American Idol; proving again why its likely “Human Target” will be cancelled.

The NBC comedies were typical of NBC. “The Office” was typically strong, “Parks and Rec” was down but continues its upward trend indicating a likely renewal, while “30 Rock” was about even with its ratings trend. After a better start in the new year, “Community” has fallen back, and its 1.8 rating isn’t quite to definite cancellation, but it doesn’t look good.

On CBS, its looking increasingly likely that “$#!* My Dad Says” won’t come back for a second season. And with “CSI” continuing to trend down, the show is likely about one season removed from cancellation–unless CBS gutsily decided to cancel it this year.

8 pm

American Idol: 7.2 demo, 21.5 million viewers

The Big Bang Theory: 3.9 demo, 12.8 million viewers

Wipeout: 2.2 demo, 6.9 million viewers

Community: 1.8 demo, 3.8 million viewers

8:30 pm

$#!* My Dad Says: 2.7 demo, 10.4 million viewers

Perfect Couples: 1.5 demo, 3 million viewers

9 pm

Grey’s Anatomy: 3.9 demo, 10.4 million viewers

The Office:3.6 demo, 7 million viewers

Bones: 3.3 demo, 10 million viewers

CSI: 2.8 demo, 12.6 million viewers

9:30 pm

Parks and Recreation: 2.6 demo, 5.1 million viewers

10 pm

The Mentalist: 2.9 demo, 14.7 million viewers

Private Practice: 2.7 demo, 7.3 million viewers

30 Rock: 2.3 demo, 4.6 million viewers

10:30 pm

Outsourced: 1.7 demo, 3.6 million viewers

Steve Carell, who is Michael Scott on “The Office,” is leaving before the end of this season.

Entertainment Weekly reports, Michael Scott will be gone from the show four episodes early. Sadly, he cannot make it to the finale.

Also, Holly (Amy Ryan) will be leaving one or two episodes before Michael Scott does.

What will happen to the four episodes of this season without them?

Private Practice soared week to week, up 40% in the ratings, largely due to it’s rape/recovery storyline that began this week. Grey’s Anatomy was also up this week.

Fringe and Bones returned after several weeks from Baseball hiatus, and both returned sharply down. Fringe should be on cancellation watch.

NBC and CBS were typical of Thursday nights; The Big Bang Theory was the night’s most watched show.

8 pm

Big Bang Theory: 4.6 demo, 13.9 million viewers

Bones: 2.5 demo, 9.1 million viewers

Community: 1.9 demo, 4.6 million viewers

Grey’s Anatomy (Repeat): 1.2 demo, 4.4 million viewers

8:30 pm

$#*! My Dad Says: 3.4 demo, 11 million viewers

30 Rock: 2.4 demo, 5.3 million viewers

9 pm

Grey’s Anatomy: 4.3 demo, 11.7 million viewers

The Office: 3.7 demo, 7.6 million viewers

CSI: 3.3 demo, 13.9 million viewers

Fringe: 1.8 demo, 5 million viewers

9:30

Outsourced: 2.7 demo, 5.8 million viewers

10 pm

Private Practice: 3.9 demo, 10.2 million viewers

The Mentalist: 2.9 demo, 14.3 million viewers

The Apprentice: 1.4 demo, 4 million viewers

Thursday is shaping up to be the only night of television where few shows are facing the threat of cancellation this season, and most shows rose from last week.

“30 Rock” posted a noticeable uptick due to it’s live episode last night, bouncing up to a 3.0 rating and 6.6 million viewers. At 8 p.m., “Community” drew a higher rating than regular, a 2.2 rating and 4.8 million viewers. “The Office” was the third highest rated program for the night with a 3.7 rating and 7.3 million viewers, but “Outsourced” didn’t retain much, posting a 2.5 rating and 5.4 million viewers. At 10 p.m, “The Apprentice” was abysmal, with a 1.3 rating and 3.7 million viewers.

“Grey’s Anatomy” was the highest rated program of the night, with a 4.5 rating and 12 million viewers. A repeat of the show at 8 was low, with a 1.0 rating and 3

.9 million viewers. “Private Practice” was up at 10, with a 3.1 rating and 8.5 million viewers.

CBS won the night due to consistency; at 8 “The Big Bang Theory” posted a 4.1 rating and 12.4 million viewers. “$#*! My Dad Says” rebounded, drawing a 3.1 rating and 10.1 million viewers. At 9, “CSI” was also on the rise, with a 3.1 rating and 14 million viewers, while “The Mentalist” led at 10 with a 3.2 rating and 15 million viewers.

Fox was at the back; “Bones” was steady with a 2.6 rating and 9.5 million viewers, “Fringe” remained low with a 2.0 rating and 5.3 million viewers.

CBS lead the night in total viewers and in the 18-49 demo Thursday. In its new timeslot, the fourth season premiere of “Big Bang Theory” drew 14 million viewers and a 4.8 in the 18-49 demo, second highest for the night. It’s strong numbers spilled into William Shatner’s new comedy “$#*! My Dad Says,” which drew 12.5 million viewers and a 3.9 in the demo for it’s premiere. The 11th season of CSI premiered to 14.5 million viewers and a 3.4 rating; the third season of “The Mentalist” debuted to 15 million viewers, the highest for any series Thursday, and a 3.3 rating.

On ABC, “Grey’s Anatomy” drew a 5.3 rating, highest for the night, and 14 million viewers for it’s seventh season premiere. Sister show “Private Practice” bowed to a 3.3 rating and 9 million viewers. It wasn’t all good news for ABC though; new 8 p.m. drama “My Generation” floundered out of the gate to a 1.6 rating and 5.2 million viewers. ABC finished second in both categories for Thursday.

NBC didn’t have much luck either. The seventh season of “The Office” logged typically strong numbers, drawing 8.5 million viewers and a 4.3 in the demo, second for 9 p.m. hour. New comedy “Outsourced” had a strong premiere as well, pulling in 7.4 million viewers and a 3.5 in the demo, second in the 9:30 timeslot. At 8 p.m. “Community” was back in third place with a 2.2 rating and 6 million viewers; “30 Rock” drew a 2.6 and 5.5 million viewers at 8:30. The peacock finished last in the 10 p.m. hour, with “The Apprentice” logging a 1.6 rating and 3.8 million viewers.

Fox had its ups and downs with “Bones” pulling a 2.7 and 9.8 million viewers at 8 p.m., good for second place, while “Fringe” was in fourth at 9 p.m. with a 2.1 and 5.9 million viewers. Fox landed in fourth for the night. The CW was also typically in back: “The Vampire Diaries” drew 3.6 million viewers and a 1.6 rating while “Nikita” managed 3.2 million viewers and a 1.1 rating.

The Office is everybody’s favorite show. Let’s just face it. If you’re reading the recap, it’s because you like it. And I’m thinking you can’t come up with someone who hates it right off the top of your head. So let’s move on with the assumption that you and most of your friends were, like me, pretty disappointed to hear this would be Steve Carell’s last season playing Michael Scott. The Office just isn’t The Office without Carell, and what’s the likelihood, with Carell gone, Jim and Pam married, and the rest of the characters spiraling into their ridiculous side stories, that this series can continue?

But what’s that? NBC is releasing a new comedy? And it’s right after The Office? And it’s in an office? And it’s title starts with an O? That’s right, I was excited. Outsourced, a new comedy, stars Ben Rappaport as Todd Dempsey, an young American sent to India to manage a staff of customer service representatives. Of course, they’re selling American novelty items like whoopee cushions and deer heads that sing “Sweet Home Alabama,” so cultural hilarity is bound to ensue, right? Not so much.

Rappaport delivers a lackluster performance as the fresh young manager, especially when compared to Carell’s dynamic performances as manager of Dunder Mifflin, Scranton. The India portrayed in the show isn’t so much Slumdog Millionaire as it is the bright, cartoonish World Market/Eat Pray Love version. The “Indian” actors’ accents are corny and inauthentic. And the underlying plot is unconvincing — a young, promising college graduate moves to India on a whim to preserve his job as sales manager? As if he couldn’t do what millions of other Americans are doing — crash on mom and dad’s couch and wait for the storm to pass.

The only moment of true levity comes from a brief encounter Dempsey has in the lunch room with fellow American manager, Charlie Davies (Diedrich Bader). But that lasts just a moment before we’re back in the office with stale Dempsey and his staff of very Americanized Indians.

In comparison to Outsourced, the season 7 premiere of The Office was a shining beacon of hilarity — and it wasn’t even that great. It got its initial laughs with The Nard Dog (Ed Helms) — not “The Nard Man,” cause that’s his dad — leading the office in a music video performance. Then we sink into the mundane hilarity that made the show famous. There’s a new horrible assistant who can’t get the coffee orders right; Michael finds new funny ways to hate Toby; and of course, Jim and Pam play elaborate pranks on Dwight. What else could you ask for? I guess for a couple more seasons, but Carell axed that one.

So let’s just enjoy the last season of The Office as we know and love it (with Michael Scott) and hope that Outsourced outsources for better talent. Or just wait until Parks and Rec comes back on.

Steve Carrell may not be returning next season to the show that made him famous, but you can still get your laugh on by watching Season 6 of The Office on Blu-ray Hi-Def or DVD. Pick up the DVD for a weekend marathon filled with romance, marriage, parenthood, promotions, and a ball-busting new boss.

Catch the release on September 7, or comment below for your chance to win the DVD before it’s even out!

Blast recently chatted with Michael Wallen, the vice president and creative director of Fox Mobile Studios, about one of their newest mobile series, “Brainstorm.”

The portable Internet series has already logged about 1.7 million viewers for the eight episodes available (with six pieces of viral content used to promote the series with marketing partner Altoids).

Comedy Central’s “Secret Girlfriend,” which began as a mobile series, shares actor Michael Blaiklock wth “Brainstorm,” where he plays Marty Waxer, a copywriter who is defined as “always stuck in a haze between last night’s party and his morning coffee.”

Between Marty’s procrastination and lack of seriousness, and the new marketing genius in the office, named Rock, an advertising conundrum ensues.

BLAST: First, we’d like to get a feel for how you decided to go with a mobile series, and how that benefits the audience. How are mobile series becoming more popular for audiences?

MICHAEL WALLEN: We really wanted to create a series-not just a mobile series-but a great short form series. We really thought of all cross platform ideas, and we did take into consideration stream size, viewing habits, and technical considerations, so that when somebody did view it (as a mobile series), it would be as a pleasant experience. We wanted to up the value of mobile content by delivering an entertaining series on that platform.

BLAST: How was the idea for Brainstorm started?

MW: It started with the idea of how do we get our skin in the game on the brand integration side of the business and create an organic concept that enables this brand integration without being intrusive to the viewer … organic and upfront. Transparent with the integration. So a show about advertising seemed to make a lot of sense and also poke fun of the brand, and tell a story at the same time. How do we fit a brand into a piece of entertainment? (The idea) was certainly influenced by what was happening in the economy, we thought we could make it relevant because (of smaller agencies struggling) it would resonate with viewers and also be a platform for comedy. Maybe some relief if you will.

BLAST: Was it fun to incorporate Altoids as a brand partner?

MW: Yeah, it was great. They were a fantastic partner. They got the jokes, they got the concepts, they recognized that in order to ..they had to play ball and let their brand be the center of some of the jokes. I commend them for doing that. A lot of brands will (say that they will) do that but will start to pull back. Altoids pushed us further, it was a wonderful partnership

BLAST: Were characters such as Marty and Rock inspired by real life office extremes, or solely developed for the purpose of the plot?

MW: Without blowing anyone’s cover, I’ve worked with every single one of those guys at some point in my career. I think the guru, Rock type is prevalent in the advertising field. These ‘everything turns to gold’ ad whizzes are either lucky or leaned on talented people to get where they are. There are millions of examples in every work environment, not just advertising. Advertising is such an interesting environment and breeds so many types of egos. The lead character was kind of your advertising every man. That’s definitely there in the agencies and the Marty character, but i think we try to capture characteristics of employees all over the world, someone everyone can relate to.

BLAST: Was the series influenced by any workplace sitcoms?

MW: Not directly, just that it’s there. There have been a lot of these office sitcoms, so there is a lot to draw on or draw away from. What’s different (is that) we tried to solve a business problem with a brand while also telling a story. Other shows are doing that — 30 Rock with Snapple. It’s just ‘how can you make advertising entertaining and enjoyable at the same time’?

“Brainstorm” is available on various online and mobile destinations, including MySpace, Yahoo! Video, YouTube, Veoh, blip.tv, Break, eBaum’s World, Howcast, Imeem, Metacafe, Sevenload, StupidVideos.com, Viddler, Vimeo, and most mobile phone networks.

It’s time for another great Blast DVD giveaway.

This time we have “The Office” Season Five on DVD.

If you want a copy, all you have to do is register a free account with Blast and leave a comment here!

It’s so wicked easy to win! Anyone can do it!

Television is one of the mediums in life where imitation is not only the sincerest form of flattery, it’s an absolute necessity.

Take for instance the concept of dancing. A show like “Dancing with the Stars” hits the airwaves and becomes an overnight success. Soon after, “So You Think You Can Dance,” “Dance Revolution” and a million other dance-related knockoffs follow suit.

It’s the age-old rule of television. If something is mildly successful, then there must be 800 subsequent knockoffs (799 of which will suck immensely).

The recently debuted ABC sitcom, “The Middle,” starring Patricia Heaton of “Everybody Loves Raymond,” immediately felt like a knockoff. Upon first view, it felt like something I had seen before. Watching a few episodes, I couldn’t help but feel as if borrowed the exact same concept from another one camera sitcom “" also about “The Middle.”

Yes my first, “This is a rip off of ___” inclination from The Middle was Malcolm in the Middle. By nearly sharing the same name, and both having a cute younger son, it was easily the most comparable. Then I remembered shows like “Home Improvement” and “Roseanne” dealt with the theme of working class struggles long before Frankie Muniz was a household name.

To put it bluntly, “The Middle” is nothing new. It’s middle America and a working class family trying to get by. It’s a mom that cares about her kids, loves her dimwitted husband and STRESSES (stress the stress) through each episode. It’s a tried and true formula. Unless we’re talking about baking a pie, I hate tried and true formulas.

My skeptical nature when it comes to new TV didn’t want me to open up to “The Middle.” Last week, I was burned by Kelsey Grammer’s “Hank,” a lazy rehash of a tired idea. I feared “The Middle” would be the same, and similarly waste Heaton’s talent like Grammer with Hank.

I won’t say I came away completely and utterly surprised. I still feel that shows like “Malcolm” and “Roseanne” did this concept better upon first glance. But there’s something endearing about Heaton’s Frankie and “The Middle” overall. Frankie is easily a character you can root for (unlike Grammer’s Hank). Heaton brings a gee-shucks charm to the character.

In the episode I watched, “The Floating Anniversary” I especially enjoyed her 15 “vacationing” minutes spent in the bathroom of the used car lot where she works. Also, credit goes out to the casting director for bringing aboard Scrubs’ Neil Flynn (aka Janitor) as Heaton’s husband, Mike. Flynn’s classic “I don’t give a shit, I’ll say what I think” attitude from Scrubs is transferred, and perhaps enhanced, to “The Middle.”

Lastly, Heaton’s three kids are well-rounded interesting characters played out perfectly by their respective actors. I especially enjoy watching the daughter Sue (Eden Sher) play the role of the awkward, smart middle child (almost as well as Muniz).

Overall, “The Middle” has a lot of positives. For a show with that “tried and true” formula, it never feels clichƒ© and overdone.

Three Quick Hits of the Week:
The Office: “Niagara”
This is the one “The Office” fans had been waiting for “" present company included. TV’s favorite couple, Jim and Pam, tying the knot and getting married. I loved it. Many critics have said an hour was too long for this episode, but I disagree. The hour made it feel more important than a typical episode. The entire ensemble was on for this one. From Meredith’s cigar to Kevin’s “shoes” and Andy’s tears, it was the best of everyone. For that reason, it felt like a special day for “The Office” and not just Pam and Jim.

The Cleveland Show: “The One About Friends”
I was actually considering writing my main piece about this show, but I decided against it. I vowed not to watch “The Cleveland Show” after it replaced “King of the Hill.” However, with the Pats and Sox losing on Sunday, I needed some kind of distraction and “The Cleveland Show” was just there. Blah. I wish I had stuck to commiserating about the Pats. The show is basically “Family Guy” light. Unfortunately for “Cleveland,” the best part about “Family Guy” is how un-light it is. There were few memorable moments (Cleveland getting arrested for confusing an undercover cop regarding “Cleveland Jr.” was one that comes to mind) and I pretty much liked the theme song more than anything else. Avoid.

Curb Your Enthusiasm: “The Hot Towel” “" This might shock those who know of my admiration for Larry David, but I didn’t like this episode. In it, Larry rekindles an old romance, pisses off Christian Slater and his doctor, and reveals to the world he doesn’t like people signing. In this episode, Larry’s awkward moments, such as stopping Sammy and then also the guy in the restaurant, bordered on cruel and weren’t that funny. The calling his doctor bit was obnoxious and running from the girl’s boyfriend was cowardly. Usually, Larry’s off-putting attitude during the course of an episode will make you like him even more than you did in the beginning of it. Not this time.

Let me know in the comments section if you agree with me or if you want me to cover your favorite show and check back next week for the next “TV Week in Review.”

Here’s a list of most of the winners at Sunday’s 61st Annual Primetime Emmy Awards:

• Actor, Comedy Series: Alec Baldwin, “30 Rock,” NBC.
• Actress, Comedy Series: Toni Collette, “United States of Tara,” Showtime.
• Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Jon Cryer, “Two and a Half Men,” CBS.
• Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Kristin Chenoweth, “Pushing Daisies,” ABC.
• Made-for-TV Movie: “Grey Gardens,” HBO.
• Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Brendan Gleeson, “Into the Storm,” HBO.
• Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Jessica Lange, “Grey Gardens,” HBO.
• Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Ken Howard, “Grey Gardens,” HBO.
• Supporting Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Shohreh Aghdashloo, “House of Saddam,” HBO.
• Directing for a Comedy Series: “The Office: Stress Relief,” Jeff Blitz, NBC.
• Directing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special: “Little Dorrit: Part 1,” Dearbhla Walsh, PBS.
• Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.
• Writing for a Comedy Series: “30 Rock: Reunion,” Matt Hubbard, NBC.
• Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special: “Little Dorrit,” Andrew Davies, PBS.
• Host, Reality or Reality-Competition Program: Jeff Probst, “Survivor,” CBS.
• Comedy or variety show: “The Daily Show.”
• Reality-Competition Program: “The Amazing Race,” CBS.
• Writing for a Comedy Series: “30 Rock: Reunion,” Matt Hubbard, NBC.
• Writing for a Drama Series: “Mad Men: Meditations in an Emergency,” Kater Gordon and Matthew Weiner, AMC.
• Writing for a comedy or variety show: “The Daily Show.”
• Original Music and Lyrics: “81st Annual Academy Awards: Song Title: Hugh Jackman Opening Number,” ABC.
• Writing for a Miniseries, Movie, or Dramatic Special: “Little Dorrit,” Andrew Davies, PBS.
• Supporting Actor, Drama Series: Michael Emerson, “Lost,” ABC.
• Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Cherry Jones, “24,” FOX.
• Actress, Drama Series: Glenn Close, “Damages,” FX.
• Actor, Drama Series: Bryan Cranston, “Breaking Bad,” AMC
• Comedy Series: “30 Rock,” NBC.
• Drama Series: “Mad Men,” AMC.

Analysis coming later.

HGTV was number one last night among all cable channels with women and “upscale adults” when “Design Star” came on and just wiped the floor with everyone else.

We have a humongous night of television planned, with a crap-load of premieres including “Bones” on FOX at 8 and “Fringe” at 9. CBS starts “Survivor: Samoa: at 8 p.m., and the first NBC Saturday Night Live Weekend Update Thursday edition is at 8. Also on NBC, Amy Poehler’s new show “Parks & Recreation” starts at 8:30. Poehler was on “The View” yesterday talking about her baby — little rugrat’s already about a year old — and plugging the show.

Oh, and then a little show called “The Office” has its season premiere at 9. No biggie.

NBC rounds Thursday off with “Community” at 9:30.

FX will start a new season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” tonight at 10, and they’re offering a sneak peak at “Archer” at 10:30.

We also learned today that National Geographic Channel will launch a sixth season of “Dog Whisperer” with Cesar Millan on October 9 at 9 p.m. The first episode details how to properly raise a puppy in an episode called “How to Raise the Perfect Dog.” There will be 30 new episodes this season, including “celebrity dogs.”

In other news MTV continues to not do anything involving music. They recently signed on for a show called “Warren the Ape,” combining celebrities and puppets set in a fictional reality show. Look out Emmy voters — this one’s coming sometime in 2010.

Finally on this cloudy Thursday here in Boston, pay attention to Ron Howard over the next few months. FOX recently gave him the nod for a new comedy show set inside an IRS district office. FOX ok’d a pilot, and it looks like Brent Forrester, the writer and director of “The Office” will be writing the script. This could be big.

“The Office” star John Krasinski and actress Emily Blunt, 26, who have been dating since November 2008, have gotten engaged, the Nw York Daily News reported.

The pair has been notoriously private and quite about their relationship, even arriving to red carpet events by themselves.

“We can confirm that John and Emily are engaged,” Krasinski’s publicist told People, finally.

Krasinski was previously linked to :Office” co-star Rashida Jones, while Blunt was dating Canadian singer Michael Buble for three years before breaking up in July 2008.

Often when I’m sitting at my desk at work and I just need to work straight through something, I feel like there’s a giant, pink, neon sign that flickers to life above my head and invites everyone to please, stop right now and make sure that I get interrupted. And while I would love something high tech to take care of this problem (laser powered vaporizer, anyone?) it turns out there’s actually a decidedly low-tech, yet incredibly functional gadget to prevent these interruptions.

The CubeGuard is a retractable barrier with a message that stretches across the entrance to your cubicle. The banner says something like “do not disturb,” or more pointedly, “go away.” They’re also interchangeable, depending on your mood or what you want to say. The idea is that the physical barrier acts as a mental barrier for the people who approach you, and provided that they respect it, you should see interruptions stop, saving you time and frustration.

Should the standard “greetings be insufficient for you, you can also order custom message cartridges, brand them with your own marketing, or just make up their own message. We suggest, “My other gadget is a laser powered vaporizer.”

The CubeGuard is available at their website or at selected Fry’s locations, and retail at $20 for one message cartridge and mounting kit, and $15 for an extra message cartridge, and $25 for a custom message cartridge.

With fall TV on a hiatus, “The Office” fans are lucky enough to have two of the show’s biggest stars gracing the big screen with Ed Helms’ “The Hangover” and John Krasinski’s “Away We Go.” Blast was lucky enough to catch up with both actors to talk about their movies, but we sneaked a few “Office” questions in as well, as its season finale left us dying for more.

First and foremost was the surprise ending to the season finale when Jim and Pam discovered Pam is pregnant. Krasinski’s film “Away We Go” focuses entirely on a young couple trying to ready themselves for a baby, so we asked Krasinski if he would bring anything he’s learned on “Away We Go” to the next season of “The Office”:

“I think that I will bring some of that. I think that, if I bring anything to “The Office,” it will be what Dave and Vendela wrote, which is in preparing for a child I think that it’s so extremely exciting and, from talking to my brothers and friends that have babies, it’s so extremely exciting but what I think most movies don’t deal with is the sheer terror of it. And I love that. Like I love talking to my friends and having them be like, “Oh, I’m so excited to have a baby.” I’m like, “Are you nervous?” and they’re like “I’m terrified!” It’s like, that side of it has to be evident. So I hope that they don’t write Jim as this incredibly perfect father whose taking time off from work and everything’s perfect. I hope there are days where he’s really stressed out and not sure if he’s a good enough guy to have a baby or he’s prepared or those things which I think are dealt with in here. You know, it’s too clean to write it the other way.”

In the last few episodes of the fifth season of “The Office,” there was some romantic tension developing between Andy (Ed Helms) and Kelly (Mindy Kaling). In addition, in the season finale, there were some choice looks between Andy and the office’s new secretary, Erin (Ellie Kemper). Helms said he didn’t know anything about romantic involvement with either office female “" or how long Erin’s future will be. He said he did note how fans went wild over the idea of Kelly and Andy “" something which this Blast editor thinks would be awesome to see.

We also noted some a semblance of a truce between Dwight (Rainn Wilson) and Angela (Angela Kinsey), the couple whose affair ruined the engagement of Angela and Andy. Andy and Dwight have since become friends on some level, so we asked Helms if he thought a reemerging relationship between Dwight and Angela would ruin the developing bromance between Andy and Dwight. He said he didn’t know of any Dwight/Angela relationship in the works, and that he didn’t know if it would cause any issues.

What would you like to see in the upcoming season of “The Office?” Would you like to see Dwight and Angela get back together? Who would you rather have Andy with: Kelly or Erin? What about Pam’s pregnancy? Tell us what you think below!

While everyone’s focus on Warner Bros. summer releases was settled on “Terminator Salvation” and “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” they were busy sneaking in a summer comedy of epic proportions. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis, “The Hangover” follows three groomsmen who lose the groom in Vegas the night of his bachelor party and have to find him by figuring out what exactly happened the night before in order to get him back in time for his wedding. But instead of leaving the hilarity at that, director Todd Phillips (“Old School”) included a tiger, Heather Graham as a hooker and Mike Tyson.

The true gem of the film is stand up comedian Zach Galifianakis. Best known for “Live at the Purple Onion” and his Absolut Vodka shorts on the “Tim and Eric Awesome Show,” Galifianakis stole every scene he was in, whether it was wearing the most un-Vegas outfit available or carrying a baby around on his chest. Galifianakis’ pitch-perfect comedic timing took the film to a new level of hilarity that it couldn’t have reached before.

But it is the chemistry between Cooper, Helms and Galifianakis that truly makes the film more than just a “bros have a crazy night in Vegas” comedy. For three actors from completely different ends of the comedy spectrum “" Cooper from “Yes Man,” Helms from “The Office” and Galifianakis from his stand up “" they work perfectly well together in their roles. There are poignant moments between the three leads as the film progresses that show, not just tell, that a bond has developed between the three men, especially between Cooper and Helms with Galifianakis. Galifianakis’ character of Alan “" the soon-to-be brother-in-law of groom Doug (Justin Bartha) “" was the awkward member of the group from the beginning who clearly didn’t belong, and whom Doug’s best friends Phil and Stu (Cooper and Helms) weren’t especially big fans of coming on their Vegas adventure. But by the end of the film, a real friendship develops in a subtle way that is rare to see on the big screen.

From the creators of “Old School,” this film has been pegged as a follow-up to the 2003 Will Ferrell classic. “The Hangover” is not only a follow-up “" it’s better. Taking the hilarious adventures to an entirely new level (you thought you knew the tiger would be hilarious from the trailers, but just wait), the film still manages to feel relate-able at its core. A story of three people becoming friends, of learning to stand up for what’s best for your happiness and of the true measure of responsibility is something all viewers can relate to.

While Phil, Stu and Alan’s adventures trying to find the missing Doug take up the bulk of the film’s 100 minutes of running time, an extra 20 to 30 minutes of added hilarity would have been for the film’s benefit. Advertisements for “The Hangover” made it clear that Phil, Stu and Alan did insane, ridiculous things while they were drunk, but by the time the ending credits started rolling, there was a sense of “that’s it?” To be clear, insane, ridiculous things did happen, but the film left telling the specifics of what exactly happened the night before (if you can write a timeline of exactly what happened, when, during that night after the first viewing, get back to me) to telling of the male bonding experience that occurred.

Without a doubt, go see “The Hangover.” In a summer of blockbuster comedies, “The Hangover” is shaping up to be the best one out there. If you have been itching for a sequel to “Old School” “" or just itching for something that will make your sides hurt from laughing too hard “" go see this movie.

If the previous article by me has left some with the impression that I’ve sworn off Adult Swim, that would be an incorrect assessment. Today Adult Swim publicist, Tim DeClair, announced that they have acquired the smash hit, “The Office.” The original BBC version! The American one is hilarious itself, but it’s great that see where the original idea came from. Here’s hoping for the Aussie comedy original “Kath & Kim” to make it state-side as well.

Created, written and directed by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, “The Office” is about the day-to-day lives of office employees in the Slough, Bershire branch of the fictitious Wernham Hogg Paper Company. The main character in the series, David Brent, as played by Gervais, is now firmly established as one of the great creations of comedy “" and one familiar to office workers everywhere. As regional manager of the company, Brent fancies himself as a great team leader using humor to win the loyalty of his staff. In reality, he is belittling, smug, sexist, insensitive, patronizing and unthinkingly offensive. He tells crude jokes and talks in cliches and only gets away with it because his staff feels obliged to humor him. His employees are stuck in mundane, dead-end jobs, surrounded by irritating colleagues and engaged in bitter feuds over the most trivial things. Filmed as a fly-on-the-wall documentary, “The Office” is working life at its worst. Get ready for ostrich costumes and copy-machine rofl-copters.

In case you can’t wait, “The Office” Seasons One and Two (BBC edition) are already available for purchase at most video stores, online and off.

Along with “The Office,” Adult Swim also recently purchased “The Mighty Boosh” from our entertaining neighbors across the pond, BBC Worldwide. “The Mighty Boosh” is a stoner’s entertainment series, but still very entertaining and funny when not high.

Trying to pin-down the core of a show like “The Mighty Boosh”, is like trying to capture wet bar of soap. The show revolves primarily around Howard (Julian Barratt) and Vince (Noel Fielding), along with their friends Naboo the Enigma, mystical shaman and pot dealer, and Bolo the gorilla, as they go on various surreal journeys. Recently in the series, (Season three had started in November 2007) the show was still set in Dalston, but this time has the foursome working in their shop called the Nabootique. Their adventures and outings in the third series were more toned down than the previous two series’, and they focused more on the involvement of new characters (e.g. Sammy the Crab, or Lester Corncrake etc) than just the two of them ‘journeying through time and space’.

With the original TV format being PAL, the conversion was delayed for Americans to have easy (legal) access to the series. But with rising popularity, “The Mighty Boosh” is coming to the US in standard North American DVD format (NTSC).

Adult Swim is owned by Turner Brodcasting System Incoporated. Which itself is a company owned by Time Warner. Adult Swim airs nightly around 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. BBC Worldwide is a subsidiary of the UK Britsh Brodcasting Corporation. The BBC has a US channel known as BBC America.

As adult spoofs of popular television shows seem like the next big thing, we are laughing out loud watching The Office XXX porn parody that puts a buxom blond in place of the boss and includes plenty of interoffice action.

When the cameras enter the offices of Dinder Muffin, it’s up to ‘World’s Bust Boss,’ Michelle (Ashlynn Brooke) to make sure that the hard drives are hard and the water cooler is wet. And that’s why she’s not only the boss, she’s the employee of the month! It’s the must see XXX tv parody of the year, when a huge all star cast (that’s what she said!) stars in New Sensations hilarious hump-fest, The Office: A XXX Parody. The splooge and jokes fly with Ashlynn Brooke, Jenna Haze, Stephanie Swift, Alexis Texas, Gianna Michaels, Faye Reagan, Dahlia Denyle, Codi Carmichael, James Deen, Dane Cross, Ralph Long, Rooco Reed and Mark Wood. … This is one office where nobody gets laid off… but they all get laid!

The video features Faye Reagan, who we reported on when the usually naked-on-camera redhead got hired to model clothes for American Apparel.

The March 9 DVD has more special features than most Hollywood movies, including a bonus scene, in case you can’t get enough. The feature is 2 hours and 37 minutes.

In the inaugural episode of its fourth season, “The Office” manages to address nipple chafing, bat birth control and a Race for the Cure benefit run to increase awareness of rabies (which, incidentally, already has a cure).

The show’s downplayed, absurdist humor has earned it a steady fan following as well as critical acclaim. “This is going to be a very good year,” according to boss Michael Scott (Steve Carell) on his way to the office — right before he accidentally runs over his employee Meredith (Kate Flannery) in the parking lot, a laugh-out-loud scene that sets the tone for the rest of the episode.

For fans of the show, the episode will likely feel like a reunion with old friends. Rainn Wilson is still in fine form as oblivious office lapdog Dwight Schrute, who mercy kills girlfriend Angela’s (Angela Kinsey) ailing cat and voices suspicion over Meredith’s pelvic fracture. Michael is still reliable for classic blunders (like pulling out Meredith’s IV in the hospital as he tries to tie balloons to her bed) and improper word choices (“I’m not superstitious, but I’m a little stitious.”)

The first few episodes of Season Four will run for an hour instead of their usual 30 minutes, and it’s evident that some of the material used in the premiere would have ended up on the cutting room floor or on the outtakes section of the DVD, such as some of Michael’s too-long monologues. But it’s still a wonder that these cast members can keep straight faces when Carell utters presumably unscripted lines like, “something with the body of an egret and the head of a meerkat” when contemplating animal sacrificing rituals.

Last season’s finale ended with a cliffhanger (or, at least, as much of a cliffhanger as is possible in a series about desk jobs), when Jim (John Krasinski) at long last asked Pam (Jenna Fisher) out on a date and she accepted. Their newfound romance isn’t directly addressed until midway through the season premiere, when the omnipresent camera crew inexplicably shows the pair a tape of them kissing.

But while viewers will undoubtedly be satisfied to finally see Pam and Jim as a happy couple, their relationship could be a double-edged sword by removing much of the suspense that kept viewers tuned in every week. A return appearance by Jim’s ex Karen (Rashida Jones), whose dismissal early on in the premiere felt too quick, might make for an interesting plot twist later in the season. For now, viewers can rely on nipple chafing and bat birth control to keep them entertained.