Question: Thank goodness you are back. We have felt like we were watching blind since your online column disappeared. I was really unimpressed by the first episode of Dollhouse. Fortunately, I stuck it through to the second, and loved that one. I’d say most of the (poor) reviews I’ve seen read like I felt after the first episode, and aren’t reflective of what I’ve seen since. What are the chances of the show making it through the season, and did that initial first episode hurt it? Also, any info you might have about the renewal chances of Chuck, Terminator, Friday Night Lights or Big Bang Theory would be appreciated.—John K

Matt Roush: Well, thanks. Most everyone I talk to about Dollhouse agrees the first episode was the weakest, but keep in mind that most reviewers of the show were able to screen multiple episodes before weighing in, so it’s also just possible that they find insurmountable problems with the premise and/or the execution. Given that Fox appears willing to let the show play out its initial order, I’m willing to keep an open mind for a while still. That’s a good question about whether the first impression given by the pilot episode may have hurt the show in the long run. Maybe that issue will be addressed during a Dollhouse panel at the Paley Festival in Los Angeles next month. We should all have more perspective by then. (I’ll be moderating a panel the night before on Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. How fun is that! Note: There was a miscommunication earlier about my hosting the Dollhouse panel. That one will be in the good hands of EW's Jeff Jensen.) I really can’t say how Fox will feel about renewing either of its Friday fantasy/sci-fi dramas. They knew going in not to expect much, but a cult audience at least keeps the lights on, on a historically tough night. I’ve seen rumors that DirecTV and NBC are talking about extending Friday Night Lights another two seasons, which would be miraculous, but let’s wait and see what happens. The Big Bang Theory is definitely a keeper, and CBS appears to be trying to nail down a multi-season renewal on that one. As for Chuck, read on.

Question: What are the chances of Chuck's renewal? The show is in a terrible time slot and I don't see any new show doing any better there, so why don't they keep it and hope for a How I Met Your Mother or NCIS-style fan base that grew because CBS gave it a chance. I hope that NBC smartens up and does the same, and if they replace Chuck with a game show or a reality show, well then I just give up. If NBC wonders why their ratings are dropping, it is because it relies too much on fluff instead of substance. C'mon, Celebrity Apprentice keeps coming back, but Chuck may not? On another note, I am a bit sad that the show seems to be resorting to sex for ratings instead of clever plot lines. My 13-year-old son is a fan of the show, but now I have to watch it first and fast-forward through the inappropriate scenes. Unfortunately, he got his friends to start watching recently, and I am just waiting for their moms to call me and say "You let your son watch this?" Yup, better to fast forward then to have him watch Chuck being handcuffed to a bed and explaining why, or watching Sara get her hands tied up with a belt, or why Jeff is using a bathrobe and no underwear to interview girls for a job. To the writers of Chuck: You are better than this. Let's go back to your humor and character development instead of using Sarah in lingerie to get ratings.—Carol

Matt Roush: I love how in a follow-up e-mail you told me how you had your local library buy a copy of the season 1 DVD so it could circulate to new sets of eyeballs. That’s what I call a devoted fan. I wish I could be ultra-confident that NBC will give this show a third season, but I truly can’t predict what NBC’s lineup will look like next fall in the new Jay Leno five-nights-a-week era, with fewer slots for marginal performers like this. Could NBC order shorter seasons of some shows, letting them share time periods? That could be a lifeline for a show like Chuck, but it’s hard to say. As for the show’s occasional racy moments: Lighten up a bit. They may be flirting with naughtiness, but it’s almost never really nasty on this show. Look what the same executive producer is doing over on the CW in the same time period on a little show called Gossip Girl, and Chuck is quaint by comparison. (Which doesn’t mean I don’t acknowledge the desire for more G-rated network entertainment out there. It’s just unlikely in the current media environment.)

Question: I wanted to ask if you know if this will be Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’s final season or if they will extend it even further into Season 11.—Josh B.

Matt Roush: Can’t imagine the show not returning, although since SVU traditionally airs at 10/9c, which won’t be an option in next season’s Leno-heavy lineup, I suppose we can’t take anything at NBC for granted. (Maybe the two remaining NBC Law & Order series will share a time period?) Neither L&O show is as powerful as they used to be, but I get no sense of a ticking clock on this one just yet.

Thanks again to all who’ve written in. I hope to get to more of your timely questions soon. The address: askmatt@tvguidemagazine.com