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When I first heard of the new ABC creepy-mystery-drama show I was hopeful just based on the cast. SAM NEILL, AMY ACKER, FRANCES CONROY and STEVEN WEBER are probably the most noteable and all have done great projects in the passed. NEILL’s performance definitely stands out but after watching this first episode I suppose I should add “confusing” to my hyphenated description of the show above.

HAPPY TOWN is the nickname of Haplin, Minnesota where the show takes place. It’s a picturesque small town where everyone is civil, friendly and the town has no crime. The local bread factory employs over 10% of the townsfolk and give the town itself the scent of down home goodness. All of this, however, is simply window dressing on the surface. Wipe away the facade and you start to delve into a world that quickly confused me and required me to go back and view things again because I thought I must be getting set up with things I’m supposed to remember later.

If you sit down to watch this first episode as well you will quickly become familiar with each of the key players in town. How do I know this? The main reason is the excessive exposition that each character gives when introduced to town newcomer HENLEY BOONE who has come to town to open a candle shop. This gives her the unfortunate job of being our proxy and having to meet each of these individuals that fall short of giving their complete biography.

As the show progresses the confusion sets in. SAM NEILL lives in a boardinghouse where the third floor is off limits. The commercials elude to the town boogeyman which they have named THE MAGIC MAN who was responsible for citizens of the town dissapearing five yeras earlier, who may be returning. The town sheriff keeps mumbling the name CHLOE to himself. Where is all of this going?

The biggest mystery of all for me is the fact that this first season of the show only has an 8 episode run. This in itself is an unusual number in television. It either speaks well of the show or bad of the executives at ABC that the first run was given an initial order greater than the standard 6. Regardless I’m sure ABC is hoping for a hit since, based on recent ratings, the network hasn’t found the heir to the LOST throne in either FLASHFORWARD or V. Either way it’s only 8 episodes, so I say based on this the show is at least worth checking out.

HAPPY TOWN has it’s premiere at 10 PM this Wednesday, April 28th, on ABC.

Now let’s look at what else the week holds.

MONDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: Sarah and CHUCK take on a bunch of baddies while taking a train ride through Europe. The best part? Morgan is teamed up with Casey to try and find the two love birds. Expect lots of Casey grunting.

TLC – 8:00 PM: Matt appoints himself the manager of Zach‘s World Dwarf Games soccer team and a disagreement over sponsorship may jeopardize Amy‘s position as a Dwarf Athletic Association board member on LITTLE PEOPLE, BIG WORLD. It just goes to show that no matter what the sport politics always comes in to play.

DISC – 8:00 PM: If nothing else interests you on a Monday nigth how about three hours of MYTHBUSTERS? At least something really gets blown up, right?

The CW – 9:00 PM: I don’t normally watch GOSSIP GIRL but tonight has special guest William Baldwin on so I figured it was worth noting. Carry on.

TUESDAY

FOX – 8:00 PM: Pop quiz hot shot: you have six contestants left on AMERICAN IDOL who are being mentored by Shania Twain and then have to perform her music. Most of America can’t name six of her hits. What do you do? WHAT DO YOU DO? (I’m hoping Big Mike sings Man! I Feel Like a Woman!). All kidding aside I wonder if Bowersox can actually find a tune to click with this week?

ABC – 8:00 PM: I’ve never watched on day of DANCING WITH THE STARS but with the results show tonight the contestants have a swing dance competion. As a fan of Big Bad VodDoo Daddy I wouldn’t mind hearing and seeing some good swing.

NBC – 8:00 PM: Yes my usual mentioning of THE BIGGEST LOSER is almost obligatory at this point because regardless of what they make the contestants do it’s still so gripping to see what they go through.

FOX – 9:00 PM: GLEE already had me at Kurt trying to fix up his dad with Finn‘s mom, but add to the mix the return of KRISTIN CHENOWITH? I’ll be glued to my seat. I still have to wonder though how these other kids in the school never get annoyed by the GLEE member singing all over the halls. If it was my high school I’d have been beat down within minutes.

MTV – 10:00 PM: I don’t watch THE HILLS but the title of the final season’s premiere tonight is titled Put On a Happy Face, which is exactly what Heidi‘s plastic surgeon did for her. Now the only way to get her mouth to frown is to make her do a head stand.

WEDNESDAY

ABC – 9:00 PM: If you were amazed during the holiday season to only see the top of Fred Willard‘s head on MODERN FAMILY and were craving more than your pay off is tonight as Phil‘s dad drops in for a visit.

FOX – 8:00 PM: OK, I made fun of AMERICAN IDOL too soon. Turns out the stunt casting of mentor Shania Twain was to try to suck in all of the New Country fans out there. Furthering the movement? Lady Antebellum and Rascal Flatts perform on tonight’s results show. Very tricky IDOL. Very tricky indeed.

ABC – 10:00 PM: Yeah, remember up top where I spetn quite a few paragraphs talking about HAPPY TOWN? Here it is.

NBC – 10:00 PM: Can someone tell me how I had no idea that Sharon Stone was starting a four week special guest-star stint on LAW & ORDER: SVU?

THURSDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: All is right in the universe again as we get all new episode of COMMUNITY, PARKS AND RECREATION, THE OFFICE and special guest star Will Forte on tonigth’s episode of 30 ROCK.

CBS – 8:00 PM: Two swing votes hang in the balance at tribal council on tonight’s SURVIVOR: HEROES VS. VILLAINS.

FRIDAY

NBC – 8:00 PM: The final installment of WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? has Spike Lee looking deeper into his family history.

The CW – 8:00 PM: Anytime SMALLVILLE has an episode title like Sacrifice you just have to worry a little bit if everyone is going to come out alive by the episode end.

CBS – 9:00 PM: Allison has a high-tech alarm installed after a neighbor his killed and she thinks the alarm may be communicating with her daughter Marie. Is this MEDIUM or a precursor to SKYNET?

SATURDAY

ABC – 8:00 PM: I only mention tonight’s airing of MEET THE FOCKERS because I always get a kick out of saying that Barbara Streisand is a real Mother Focker.

BBCA – 9:00 PM: The really brilliant part of tonight’s DOCTOR WHO is Ian McNeice as Winston Churchill. The bit about that enemy from the Doctor‘s past wasn’t the best for me but it was still good TV all around. If nothing else the previews for next week’s episode The Time of Angels are a good reason to see it through.

ABC FAMILY – 10:00 PM: Seriously, can someone please tell me how BILLY MADISON has any business being shown on a channel touting family values? I know, it’s not a puritan network or anything but still!

SUNDAY

FOX – 9:00 PM: Remember back in the sitcom days of old where the main characters would get stuck in a locked basement/office/meat locker and then they’d talk about all the fun times (and we’d see all the old clips)? Tonight FAMILY GUY does that with Brian and Stewie in a bank vault.

ABC – 9:00 PM: Torchwood fans will be happy to know that they get more John Barrowman on tonight’s DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES as we see him finally catch up with Angie. Oh yeah, Lynette invited a psychopath to live with her, I’m sure that will play out well this week.

DISNEY – 9:00 PM: I don’t know what it is about MEET THE ROBINSONS that makes it one of my preferred of the Disney CGI films but if your kids are up late they may enjoy this one too.

A&E – 9:30 PM: If you’re like me you’ve always wondered what it would be like to see Gene Simmons in a bayou, right? If so than GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS seeks to fill our minds with wonder (and blatanlty scripted reality).

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