Lost

CHICAGO – You may not know Drew Goddard’s name but you almost certainly know his work. Or at least you should. He’s one of the most influential and important TV writers of the last several years on key episodes of “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel,” “Alias,” and “Lost.”

CHICAGO – There’s “potential” all over FOX’s highly-anticipated “Alcatraz,” debuting tonight, January 16th, 2012 with two back-to-back episodes. A great cast, strong production pedigree, interesting concept — so why are both of the first two episodes so forgettable? Why is this show more “meh” than amazing?

CHICAGO – With two “Snow White” films currently in production, it’s tempting to believe that Hollywood’s well of originality has run dry. Sure, faerie tales have always been reinterpreted for new generations, but how many re-imaginings does one generation need?

CHICAGO – I’m curious to see where “Person of Interest” is going and I guess that’s all that really matters when it comes to a series premiere. The ultimate test of a pilot is a simple one — Will you watch episode two? Does it hook you enough to keep you coming back and maybe even tell your friends to do the same? People will be talking about the premiere of “Person of Interest” and buzz matters.

CHICAGO – As the weeks, months, and years make it clearer that we will never get a live-action continuation of one of the best television programs ever, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (it’s just cruel that there are two “Sex and the City” movies and we can’t even get a “Buffy” reunion special), fans of the franchise are forced to turn to alternate advancements in the universe, such as the Dark Horse Comics series. The very-popular and critically-acclaimed comics have been turned into Motion Comics and released in a 2-disc Blu-ray set with mixed results.

CHICAGO – Television may no longer be in the golden age of the late ’90s and early ’00s, but the diversity of the current landscape has produced a few notable gems.

CHICAGO – With hundreds of choices new and old, how can you possibly decide what to get the Blu-ray fan in your circle of gift-giving this holiday season? It’s that time of year — when we try to read the mental wish lists of our friends and family members and get them the perfect gift.

CHICAGO – Why do so many modern TV dramas fail? I suspect that part of the reason lies in the fact that a lot of these shows bend over backwards to be a major television event before they’ve earned that right. They cloak themselves in faux commentary merely so they can become mechanical fodder for water cooler discussion the morning after. That’s why the vast majority of new TV dramas might as well be called, “The Event.”

CHICAGO – Alan Wake’s continued nightmare is your gaming gain as the second installment of DLC for the Microsoft-exclusive title hit Xbox Live Arcade this week and we’ve endured the surreal episode and survived to give you the lowdown on what to expect.

CHICAGO – The timing of “Undercovers” might be inopportune — the notion of CIA super spies adding to the deficit by overextending their expense accounts — yet the show itself is bright and exciting with beautiful actors and settings. But despite the presence of J.J. Abrams of “Lost,” it doesn’t break any new ground.