ER has been nothing short of outstanding this season. They really are pulling out all of the stops to make it the best season ever. The main characters are fantastic, but over the last few episodes I've realised that the stars of the show are often the characters that you sometimes don't even notice.

Related: So what is going on with ER and George Clooney?

Wow, ER really know how to turn on the high drama when they need to, don't they? It's the final series and they kick off by killing Pratt, probably the most loved character in the show. Now I've finally stopped crying (seriously, dramatic death and funeral in one episode, is that fair?) I'm glued to the rest of the series.

So, this isn't really a "Set The Video" post. It's more a "Cancel Your Plans Whatever They Are" post.

In Hollywood it is not unheard of for two movies with similar premises to be released within a short space of time. There was Armageddon and Deep Impact, Volcano and Dante’s Peak and A Bug’s Life and Antz. And now bizarrely, we have two programmes competing for our television affection that revolve around the backstage shenanigans at a live, comedy sketch show: More 4’s Studio 60 on the Sunset strip and Five’s 30 Rock.

One is an hour-long, verbally dense effort with a hard shell of meaty issues such as the integrity of news coverage hiding a soft under belly of romance and whimsy. The other is a succinct 30 minute sitcom that throws out killer lines amid the outlandish characters and outrageous set-ups. But though these differences are substantial and worth noting, so are the many similarities that the two American imports share. TV Scoop breaks down how the two are, in fact, TV twins…

You know when you sit around late at night, and set the world to rights? Well, when such conversations crop up (as they inevitably do) I habitually witter on about how I think Jon Stewart should be America’s next president. He’s smart (an unfair advantage over the current occupier of the oval office), responsible, charming, liberal – you’ve guessed it, I like him. And so news that he has signed a two year contract extension for his programme The Daily Show is both welcome (yeay! more onscreen goodness) and annoying (he can’t be president yet, boo!)

The extension sees Stewart commit to the Comedy Central show until 2010 and he seems pretty excited at the prospect: “I love doing the show. I feel like I work for the best in the business.” enthused Stewart. “I look forward to using this extension to have great fun at President [Stephen] Colbert's expense.” Colleague Colbert announced plans to run for the presidency on Tuesday - though only in South Carolina.

[via TV Guide]

Last week, when I sat down to watch the fantastic Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip currently hidden away on More4, I was bowled over by a scene of great writing, powerful acting and all-round perfection. The scene in question was Danny Tripp’s (Bradley Whitford – 48 today, happy b’day Brad!) admission of love for Jordan McDeere (Amanda Peet.)

The revelation of emotion was touchingly portrayed and rang true as the passion of a world-weary middle-aged man rather than the soppy gushings of a naïve teenager. The tender moment is yet to crop up on YouTube for me to best demonstrate the impact of it, but here are Danny’s lines (just imagine them being spoken by Bradley.) “I've been married twice before, and I'm a recovering cocaine addict, and I know that's no woman's dream of a man, or a father. Nonetheless, I believe I'm falling in love with you. If you want to run, I understand, but you better get a good head start because I'm coming for you, Jordan.” Isn’t that just amazing?

It’s an odd system they’ve got going over at the Emmy awards, with possible nominees enlisted by organisers to announce the contenders. The Closer actress Kyra Sedgwick was thrilled to be nominated for the best actress in a drama category this year, but as the announcer found the circumstance of reading out her own name rather distressing. "It was odd announcing the nominees and I didn't know if I was nominated, which was a little stressful and kind of wrong. What if I hadn't been nominated? Maybe I would've cried or maybe thrown up, something really lovely like that."

Thankfully Mrs. Kevin Bacon didn’t feel the need to vomit or blub, but her comments are a sly dig at the event’s organisers for putting her in that awkward situation. Should the Emmy nominations be announced by potential nominees and if not, who else should step in? Hollywood has-beens that provide a familiar face but pose no threat of being nominated or the suits behind the shindig? How would the industry have reacted if Kyra had lost it ‘big-style’ if her name had not been featured and was it a modest under-appreciation of her chances that saw her accept the gig or was it a star seeking more self-publicity? As always, leave a comment and let us know what you think.

[via Contact Music]

So after all the hype, last night saw the Primetime Emmys dished out for the 59th time. Some of the results were expected, some less so while all eyes were on Ryan Seacrest in his first time hosting the event. The theatre-in-the-round stage proved unpopular, but here at TV Scoop we give you the inside scoop on the events: who embarrassed themselves, who made it all look effortlessly easy and who wants to join Desperate Housewives? It’s all in our speeches round-up.

Host Ryan Seacrest used his opening speech to mock his own role as MC: "There are over 6,000 people here tonight. All of them talented, all of them looking incredible, all of them passed on hosting this year" while also making time to include TV hot property Hayden Panetierre (Claire Bennet in Heroes): "Congratulations on turning 18. My gift to you - seating you as far away as possible from Jeremy Piven."

We reported back in July how Aaron Sorkin, creator of failed US drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip blamed himself for the show’s shortcomings (see here). Now one of the stars of the programme, D.L.Hughley who played Simon Stiles is offering his opinion on why the show never took off as expected.

"I think that like most things that are highly touted - the number-one draft pick - we crumpled under the weight of expectations. I think we could have not taken ourselves so seriously. We pulled back the curtain too much. It's like when you go to a restaurant: It can be the best restaurant in the world, but I just want to eat the meal. I don't want to know how they make the steak.

I hate to say it, but I'm a bit fattist. I'm not especially proud of this fact, but all too often, I dismiss the problems of overweight people as laziness or greediness. If I stopped to think about it more often, I wouldn't have such condescending thoughts about those in the plus sizes. Regardless of my own thoughts, one thing is certain; Obesity is a real and dangerous problem with obesity levels rising. In '96, around 15% of Britain's children were obese... and now, that figure stands at roughly 25%. It's a very worrying trend.

So, add the concern to the figures, and you've got a televisual hot potato. More and more programmes are looking at fat people, and looking to lift them from their predicament. Supersize Kids (More 4, Monday, 9pm) looked at two kids in particular; Ryan, a 26-stone 13-year-old from South London and Abby, a Yorkshire teenager weighing over 16 stone.

Nominated for an Academy Award, Capturing The Friedmans (More4, Monday, 10pm), is an engrossing documentary from director Andrew Jarecki which refuses to play ball on the scandal that surrounded the subject of his film. Viewing this doc', it is debatable whether the retired Long Island teacher, Arnold Friedman, arrest for paedophilia is a suburban scandal or a hysterical witch hunt.

Jarecki initially was going to make a film about children's birthday party entertainers in New York, including the popular David Friedman. However, during his research, the filmmaker learned that David Friedman's brother, Jesse, and his father, Arnold, had been convicted of child sexual abuse. Jarecki interviewed many of the children involved and ended up making a film about the Friedmans themselves. Comprising the Friedmans' own revealing home movies, interviews and news footage, Jarecki's film raises disturbing questions about the law's attitude to those accused of sex crimes. This film will have you debating and thinking all night. [Mof Gimmers]

When looking through the TV listings, I feel like I’m stuck in Groundhog Day. The current scheduling is so uninspired and repetitive (when is Big Brother going to end and give us back Channel 4?) I know that Mof has mused on the lack of choice currently afforded us by TV (see here), but I wondered if, rather than it be considered a general problem, it could be analysed further. Is it just the same kind of programming clogging up our airwaves, or is it in fact, the same programmes?

There seem to be some shows that have been on TV forever and others that never seem to go away for long. I’m not talking about those that are acknowledged mainstays like soaps, but those that never let-up, are always on when you don’t want them to be and are TV equivalents to stalkers. Out of the 24 shows listed as the longest-running in their various genres (music, sitcom, current affairs, etc.) on Wikipedia, half of them are from the UK. Is this because we have a long tradition of quality programming or a lack of imagination and no balls to shake things up?

I found watching Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip quite an odd experience. Here I was, ready to dive into a new TV show – new characters, new set-ups, new everything, with the knowledge that it was cancelled after only one season in the US. One season doesn’t really give a show a chance to build up a loyal fanbase or become a fixture in people’s lives, but that was all NBC gave it. Having watched the programme, I became even more frustrated - I had really liked it.

Unfortunately the pain that is sure to be inflicted when the series ends, is not one that I am unfamiliar with. Losing a beloved TV show is one of life’s many rubbish rituals, leaving battle scars that we all have. And so as I say both hello and goodbye to Studio 60, I take this opportunity to pay homage to those other shows snatched away before their time. For some lucky few, DVD box-sets are released, but others are nothing but a fond memory. Walk with me down memory lane as TV Scoop remembers those we have loved and lost.

That many people's favourite music documentary is a fake one - the admittedly brilliant This Is Spinal Tap - is probably evidence of the fact they can be pretty rubbish. Nowadays, HMV is full of tour DVDs, but they are generally dull, self-congratulatory fare. But this Tuesday, More4 is showing one of the greatest music documentaries ever committed to film. Along with Let It Be, which painfully charts the darkest latter days of The Beatles, Don't Look Back is one the best ways of experiencing the workings of genius first hand, with no interfering narration.

The film, by D.A. Pennebaker, follows Bob Dylan at (arguably) his coolest, during a tour of the UK in 1965. He's shown to be hugely charismatic, but also very shrewd, and much cleverer than most of the people around him - especially interviewers whom he generally rips to pieces. Watch out for Donovan worshipping the ground Dylan walks on, and, of course, that famous and much parodied Subterranean Homesick Blues sequence.

Set The Video: Don't Look Back, More4, Tuesday 31 July, 10pm

After us waxing lyrical about Heroes for ages here at TV Scoop, Wednesday night saw the much-hyped new US show’s debut on terrestrial TV and the viewing figures are pretty impressive. According to DS, 4.3 million watched the first episode, with a solid 4 million ignoring the remote control and sticking around for the second instalment. Only ITV1 beat BBC2 in the 9pm slot on Wednesday with Wire in the Blood.

On a slightly more obscure channel, that of More4, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip also fared well last night reports Broadcast Now. The new Aaron Sorkin drama pulled in 318,000 viewers, 2% of multichannel homes. This made it the 10th most watched show on the station this year, way ahead of the channel’s slot average of 171,000.

In a break with a tradition that must be broken, I am not going to simply make sweeping statements about the quality of this show on the basis of just one episode. Look, I'm maturing before your very eyes.

Well, actually, I'll make a *few* sweeping statements, I'm sure, and I'm probably only curbing this particular habit because this first episode of Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip (Thursdays, More4, 10pm) didn't actually give us much to go on in any case. Yes, this was a show safe in the knowledge that they had plenty of time, and could afford to use a whole episode to introduce us to the characters and do little else. Of course, we know differently, but bless 'em, they didn't, so we'll let them off.

As the advert says,"The writer of The West Wing, The star of Friends. What's not to like?" Confident, much? But then, it's probably fair enough, as Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip sounds, on paper, like it *should* be a sure-fire winner. Based around the production team of a Saturday Night Live-esque TV show, it stars Matthew Perry as the head writer, Bradley Whitford as the producer/director, and has Aaron Sorkin providing the wise-cracks. As they say, what's not to like?

But those of you who keep up with your telly news will know that this has already been cancelled after just one season. Personally, I found Sorkin's West Wing dialogue hard to listen to, at first, ("Because they all" "Finish each other's sentences" "In a staccato style") but I'm pretty much on my own with that, so that can't be it. So what *did* go wrong? The reviews certainly weren't terrible, and it won loads of awards, including five Emmys. Well, we'll just have to watch and find out, won't we?

Set The Video: Studio 60 On The Sunset Strip, More4, Thurs 26 July, 10pm

Is it me, or have the listings made for dour reading of late? Thursday night is back on form... but the weekend? It's all been dross! Let's see if this weekend is any different...

Friday - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Film4, 9pm

As mentioned by our resident film buff, John, Eternal Sunshine... is one of the most wonderful films ever made. Sweet, without ever becoming saccharine, and thought provoking without ever being too clever-clever, this Michel Gondry masterpiece sees Jim Carey giving the performance of a lifetime with Kate Winslet giving great support. Unfathomably, neither are annoying in this fantastic film. A must-see for those who still believe in humankind.

Read over the jump for the rest of the weekend listings

Is TV the biggest lie producing machine in history? Of course it is. That's what it's there for. TV never reflected reality by virtue of the fact that is was all a bit too real. We can all recall a great TV fib... spaghetti trees, fake haunted houses with a mock spooked Sarah Green... but now, things have changed. Once, TV was unabashed about the lies it told. We could trust that any lies were for our benefit and required a certain amount of suspension of disbelief. TV has taken away the trust and taken a sinister turn.

It seems that, at the moment, you can't move for TV scandals. Some are more worrying than others. Some sneaky editing has left The Queen looking like a pilchard, more editing suite fun left us under the impression that Gordon Ramsay is quite the fisherman.These to me are old fashioned lies. Editing something quite dull into something slightly less dull. However, apart from the creative edit, TV shows have been lying to us whilst dipping a hand into our pockets.