First of all, I TOTALLY CALLED IT. Everyone laughed at the time, as did I (just in case I was wrong), but boy's been acting FISHY all season. WOW. Also, I was TOTALLY RIGHT way back when about a CERTAIN COUPLE upping the ICK FACTOR. I'm so glad I have a website now where I can officially document my awesome predictions.

That was a really, really good hour of TV, y'all. Edge of my seat. Chewing on fingernails. Yelling at the TV. I apologize if the ALL CAPS thing is irritating, but I am just so excited I can't think of how else to convey it.

I'm going to refrain from writing more right now, as I think if I start to mention anything specific I just might not stop until I've re-stated every single thing that happened the entire season.

Good night.

Wow. Here's an idea that really sucks. My new friends at Philips are working on more than just increasing your optical inches. According to the New York Times they recently filed a patent for a television technology that "would uphold the right to avoid commercials, but only for those who paid a fee. Those disinclined to pay would be prevented from changing channels during commercials. If the viewer tried to circumvent the system by recording the program and skipping the ads during playback, the new, improved recorder would detect when a commercial segment was being displayed and disable the fast-forward button for the duration."

What? How could anyone think that's a good idea? In their defense the people at Philips say it wasn't their original concept, and they aren't actively developing products using the technology, but I guess they didn't want to be caught without a patent in case all the other TV manufacturers go crazy. Because it would only work if Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Daewoo, Magnavox, Insignia, RCA, Sharp, and the Wal-mart store brand all agree to force their customers into it. And why would they? This is all in the broadcaster's interest, not the TV makers. The NYT article says it's is a "possibility that could be realized in a new technical standard — M.H.P., for multimedia home standard — that the television industry is contemplating for the future."

Somehow I think that M.H.P. does not in fact stand for Multimedia Home Standard.

Ok, I can see the desire to prevent fast-forwarding during commercials. They do it on DVDs to make sure you fully appreciate Interpol's strongly worded faxes regarding movie piracy, but the really dopey idea is preventing channel surfing during commercials. What happens if you're just flipping though trying to find something to watch? (not that I do that much anymore thanks to my handy tifaux) If you land on a commercial are you forced to watch it? If I'm done watching 24 but I don't want to see Channel 5 plug their Fox shill story of the night ("Up next, how Jack Bauer could save your family from the Bird Flu Pandemic") am I stuck? The show's over, but there's still the credits and "next time on 24" to come. When does the TV give back control?

I don't know why I'm even writing about this. If it ever happens you can be sure I'll build a computer system in the living room to get around it. 

Can you feel it in the air? The tingly, electric feeling like right before a thunderstorm? The sweaty-scented, acidy taste of fear and excitement as you're preparing to tell someone off? The heightened sense of color and feeling of interconnectedness, as if you were a poser on an annoying drug trip?

It's the season finale of Veronica Mars, and it's actually airing tonight at 9 PM, because the blessed Nets have arranged their sainted schedule so as not to piss me off.

Watch, as Veronica hopefully pulls together the numerous loose ends of a jam-packed season. Wonder, as she surely will escape a harrowing and violent attacker. Warning… I may be going overboard with the poetic soliliquizing.

And someone dies! Kristen Bell said so!

Adorable! If this doesn't make you want to watch this show, you have a heart of stone.

Update: In tvguide.com today (click the link in the sidebar), Rob Thomas answers and non-answers a bunch of questions. Most interesting answer:

Thomas: The biggest news is that we will be going to a three mystery-per-season format next year. This way, the mysteries will play uninterrupted by repeats or preemptions. We're hoping this will help us cast guest stars in smaller arcs, allow newbies to jump in easier, and lessen the too-much-going-on complaint we heard in Season 2.

Interesting idea. I don't know of any other show that does something like that. Sounds more like three miniseries, not a full season. Will the stories be as gripping and emotionally involving, if they're over faster and don't carry over? Will she still do the one-off mini-mysteries? Because I kind of like those. Something to think about…