Question: I might be wrong about this, but in my opinion, NBC failed to learn from its mistakes regarding their late-night programming. After Johnny Carson retired and they gave Leno the primo time slot as opposed to the heir apparent David Letterman, they lost Dave to CBS (and I've never been happier). Flash forward a dozen or so years to when NBC signs a contract with Conan O'Brien giving him The Tonight Show in 2009. Well, as 2009 approaches, Leno realizes he doesn't want to retire. So what does NBC do? They give him a 10 pm/ET time slot with some cockamamie excuse that the traditional network schedule isn't profitable. That's another story for another day, though. My question is: Don't you think NBC would have avoided this mess if they had just learned from their late-night mistakes in the 1990s? Now they have stabbed Conan in the back by giving Jay a sweet time spot, similar to what they did with Letterman.—Veronica N

Matt Roush: Depends on what you mean by mistake. Yes, the transition from Carson/Letterman to Leno/O’Brien was messy, but ultimately NBC feels vindicated in how the ratings game played out, with NBC as top dog (though I’ve always preferred Letterman myself). This current mess was prompted by NBC’s desire to have a more orderly passing of the torch and by the fear that if they didn’t give Conan the Tonight seat, he’d likely be stolen away. Given what’s happening now, maybe they should have let him go. Because the result is that Leno’s wall-to-wall presence in prime time has diminished NBC’s stature as a programmer, and by putting Leno in prime time it upstages Conan’s ascension to the Tonight throne. I’m not sure how this isn’t a lose-lose proposition, but I guess we’ll see come fall.

Question: There's been a lot of buzz about the Three Rivers pilot. I don't think I've ever heard this much about a pilot being filmed before. Is this an indication that it has a higher than normal chance of being picked up for the fall schedule? Do the networks push certain pilots to the top of the heap for better chances of being chosen? Alex O'Loughlin fans (me included) are chewing their nails off waiting for news on new pick-ups. Any inside news about this? The show sounds fascinating beyond the fact that it will star our handsome and talented Aussie hunk.—Cindy R

Matt Roush: The buzz about Three Rivers is magnified by the fandom for Alex O’Loughlin. Nothing wrong with that, but keep it in perspective. Industry buzz, including in the Hollywood Reporter just this week, indicates the show is a “strong contender” for fall, no doubt enhanced by the star’s enthusiastic following, especially since the demise of Moonlight on the same network. (There’s a reason he was given a high-profile guest role on Criminal Minds in an episode airing next week.) Is all of this enough to clinch Three Rivers an on-air spot? Maybe, maybe not. For me, the show makes some sense because with ER gone, there’s an opening for a new medical drama with sexy leads. The transplant-surgeon angle also sounds promising, but just the very idea of Alex O’Loughlin around blood (even if it’s being pumped into patients instead of being drained from necks) no doubt has millions swooning. Hard not to see why.

Question: Is David Shore really as clueless as he seems to be? In a season where House has already lost one third of his audience (down from 18 million to below 12 million), he's just alienated the very large fan base for Cameron and House/Cameron by tying her up with Chase permanently. A lot of viewers were unhappy the last two seasons and hanging in only because they were promised Chase and Cameron back. The only interesting new characters (Amber and Kutner) are now gone, the current team makes for boring TV because they are all variations on cynical, mistrusting House, House himself has become a nasty little man, Cuddy is pathetic and now Cameron and Chase won't be back. I would have stuck around for either Cameron back on the team or to have some air-time with House but neither is going to happen now. Cameron and Chase will both spend the rest of the series in off-screen limbo, handing him cases and maybe dropping in twice a year for special episode. Since the Tritter arc ended, it seems like every show-running decision Shore made has made the show more ordinary and less interesting. At this point, it's hard to believe these are the same producers and writers of the first two seasons. Meanwhile, I'm really enjoying Castle. It's not great TV (although better than The Mentalist and Criminal Minds, which get far higher ratings) but the plots are fun, the secondary characters are engaging—especially Castle's mother and daughter—and the leads have loads of chemistry and are fun to watch. I hope the ratings are good enough that it sticks around.—Mary E.

Matt Roush: No worries on Castle. It’s not exactly a breakout hit, but it will do, and ABC needs a repeatable, reliable show like this in its stable. And with a little nurturing, it could become an even better show. (Without question, Nathan Fillion is a TV star.) As for House, you know how it’s often said a doctor learns from his mistakes? So do TV critics, and I know better than to put myself in the middle of the relationship freaks who obsess on this show. Whether you’re rooting for Cameron or Cuddy—or Wilson for that matter—to get it on with House, you’re all bound to be disappointed in the end. I was just happy to see Chase and Cameron finally get some face time, and I’ve been told that continues, so I’m hoping they won’t be as marginalized as they have been. (Though I’m also prepared to be let down on that front, as I have been the last two seasons.) For me, while Hugh Laurie’s performance (especially lately) has remained one of TV’s best, House has never been the same since they shook up the cast.

Question: I’m not sure if you track Smallville much, but the fandom these days is about as hostile as I’ve seen for any show on TV. In particular it seems that in every forum, every comments section to news items, every blog is a Chloe vs Lois bashfest. So my question for you is: Are the producers pitting the fans against each other on purpose? It’s hard to ignore episodes like “Hex” or “Committed” and not see some meta issues being played out on screen. Is this idea of creating hostile competing fandoms something producers want? It does seem to generate pages and pages of Internet battles. What’s your take?—SnazzyO

Matt Roush: If people are talking and arguing about the show at length, then the producers’ work is done, and I can’t imagine them being anything but delighted. If no one cared, that would be a problem. Again, I’m not getting in the middle of this one (in part because I have no investment in it, having checked out of Smallville long before they all left Smallville). But does my instinct tell me they’ve deliberately skewed the show so Chloe and Lois fans are at odds? Wouldn’t surprise me.

Question: I just finished watching Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles and all I can say is wow. I actually had chill bumps at the end. I agree the intensity has been really great the last six episodes or so. I hope Fox sees the potential for future story lines for this show and renews it. I really would love to know how Cameron, who appears human, becomes the second greatest influence to John and becomes a Terminator as well, plus that storyline we finally got at the end with the Terminators who want to stop Skynet as well. What is all that about?! That being said, if Fox was to end it, I would be OK with that. I think they summed it up pretty well. That last scene where John is with his dad and his uncle and they do not know who he is and what he will mean to them and the human race… like I said, goosebumps. Thomas Dekker has a face that expresses emotion so well. Have I said how happy I am you are back?—Amy

Matt Roush: No happier than I am to be back. As I wrote when the finale aired, I’m afraid the show’s climactic creative uptick came too late to matter. I loved where the show left us, even if we don’t get to see how the latest time jump plays out. I just wish the show hadn’t dithered around during the season’s midsection. That might have proved fatal even without the unfortunate move to Fridays.