Scratching the 'Surface'

Here's a reasonable approximation of a conversation I had last week with a friend.

(A conversation that involved television, which tends to happen a lot when you watch and write about television for a living.)

"I know it's not a great show, but I'm really liking 'Surface,' " said my friend.

"Me, too," I agreed. "It's the worst show I watch every week."

And it is. I do watch it every week, and it's not a real good show. Go figure.

I could go on at length with everything that's wrong with this show about monsters threatening the existence of humans and, possibly, the planet itself. It's often silly and over dramatic; the little monster that's the teenage boy's pet looks like bad CGI; the government plot is ludicrous; and one of the stars is Lake Bell.

Ick.

Still, I tune in to see what's happening. And, unlike some other shows with continuing storylines revolving around mysteries — like the increasingly annoying "Lost" — at least we're getting some answers on "Surface." Dumb answers as often as not, but answers.

File this one under guilty pleasure. And if you're watching it, too, don't do anything dumb like admit it.

HAS "ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT" been canceled? Not as of press time. And not officially. At least not yet.

Yes, a new episode was supposed to air tonight. As was a new episode of "Kitchen Confidential." They've been replaced by a repeat of last week's "Prison Break" at 7 p.m.

Which is not a surprise, given that we're in the middle of sweeps and Fox does better with "Prison Break" repeats than with originals of "Arrested" and "Kitchen." Which is also what Fox has scheduled next Monday and the Monday after that.

The comedies are slated to return to Fox's Monday-night schedule on Dec. 5.

(Of course, given how networks operate these days, you're never sure a show is going to be on until it's actually being telecast.)

But, let's be logical for a minute. Ratings for "Arrested Development" have always been bad. And they've gotten worse. If it hasn't been canceled yet, it's only a matter of time.

Let's give Fox some applause for keeping it on the air as long as it did.