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 They've been replaced by a repeat of last week's "Prison Break" at 7 p.m.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.

And if you haven't been watching "Arrested" this season, you've been missing out. They know they're living on borrowed time, and they've just thrown caution to the wind — even more than usual — making this the most free-spirited show on network TV today.

BUT FOX DESERVES brickbats for boneheaded scheduling of "Prison Break." After the "fall finale" on Nov. 27, the final nine episodes of the season aren't scheduled to begin until May. Nearly half a year later.

Dumb. Just dumb.

"Prison Break" started out good and has only gotten better. Now that we're getting some clues as to this big, nasty plot involving that nasty vice president of the United States, it's great fun to watch.

And watching Patricia Wetting — best known as nice, long-suffering Nancy on "thirtysomething" — play that nasty vice president of the United States has been delicious.

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E-mail: pierce@desnews.com