We all know that you should get five portions of fruit and veg a day. Why, I've had four already today and I've yet to enjoy my strawberry cheesecake! Having a healthy body is obviously paramount, but it is also vital that you have a healthy mind. It needs to be stimulated, to be informed, to be amused. That's where Tube Talk comes in.

This week I'm going to attempt the seemingly impossible and serve you up five portions of TV gossip goodness in five days. I know, probably crazy - but let's give it a go. Minds open? Excellent...

First up today (the first of five days of Tube Talk, lest we forget), a new series from the US that appears to be flying under the radar. I present to you, Chuck:



Yet to be picked up by a UK network but doing decent numbers in the pre-Heroes slot for NBC, the series follows - surprise - Chuck (Zachary Levi), a computer nerd who unwittingly downloads CIA and NSA secrets to his brain.

It's no Alias by any stretch of the imagination and it has a higher cliché count than an episode of Friends but enough laughs to rival its network stablemate The Office. It's a cult comedy. A culomedy, if you will.

And it's far better than OC guru Josh Schwartz's other new series this Fall, the rather ghastly Gossip Girl...

Next, Desperate Housewives, which returned for its fourth season in the US a week ago (before you ask, it's a wait of another three months until the Channel 4 premiere).

Highlight to the right to continue reading - but beware of spoilers! The third season cliffhanger is resolved within the first few minutes. Edie is not dead; it was all a ruse to win sympathy from Carlos. Hurrah! Hang on, does anyone else feel cheated? Meanwhile there's a big shock in store as Lynette reveals her newly-bald head, a result of several months' chemotherapy. Susan is still faffing around in her customary - and now tiring - ditsy manner, Bree is maintaining her pregancy lie and Gabrielle has started an affair with Carlos. Plus there's a new-old housewife in town with a "daughter" harbouring a sinister secret. All in all - same old, same old, although there are rumours that a major character will be killed off in February. Who do you think we could do without? Silly Susan for the chop? Or how about that dirty philanderer Gabrielle? Let me know your thoughts using the 'Your views' feature at the bottom of this column!

New show alert: Living with Kimberly Stewart, Wednesdays at 10pm on Living from the 17th. The reality series follows Rod Stewart's socialite daughter as she embarks on a lengthy but familiar process (auditions, challenges, weekly eliminations) of finding a housemate to share her new Notting Hill abode. This is not as annoying as some of the cheap UK multichannel reality series - it actually feels like it has a reasonable budget behind it - and Kimberly is harmless enough, but you can never escape the fact that it is utterly pointless. On that note, don't miss Pete's PA, also on Living!

Time now for me to get put on the spot as I pick a selection of questions I know the answers to. Hmmm.

Maff: "Any idea why Living TV showed around 50 episodes of Biggest Loser Australia season 1 only to not show the final 2 episodes? There's people on the Living TV forums who are fuming about the fact that after last night (Thursday 5th) no more episodes are scheduled and no one at Living is replying to emails or the forum although there are mods on the forum that are editing posts and banning people that are rightly upset that Living have gone and done this. Can you get anything out of them? It's no wonder people illegally download programmes when stations do things like this (like BBC2 showing How I Met Your Mother season 1 but never showing the final episode, or season 2 - and I'm assuming Living won't be showing Biggest Loser Aus season 2 from last year?!). If you can get answers for any of us that have sat through an episode a day for the last 10 weeks we would be greatly appreciated."
Neil: Apparently the last 2 eps ARE being shown, tonight (Monday) and tomorrow (Tuesday) at 7pm on Living 2. No idea why they would do that, sorry. But let your disappointment be known!

Scott F: "Any clue when season 5 of Las Vegas will appear on Sky One? The season 4 finale was possibly the biggest cliffhanger in TV history and season 5 started in the states last month... thanks in advance for you investigations big man....!"
Neil: No worries, dawg. Season five begins in a little over a month. I would tell you the exact date but why do that when The PLP has all the info you need?

Joanna: "Will BBC One show High School Musical 2?"
Neil: Yes! Expect to spend another Christmas with Mr. Efron and chums.

Samantha Young: "Hi Neil- I'm loving Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip at the minute but heard that there will only be one season *gasps* ..tell me it's not true, please?"
Neil: Umm, sorry...

Natalie: "Is there a month/date for the return of Lost on Sky One as of yet? And do they plan on showing it on Sky Three as they have done with Nip/Tuck recently? Thanks."
Neil: February, February, FEBRUARY! Next person who asks will be blacklisted. As for the possibility of a Freeview airing on Sky Three - enjoy Sky Three while you can, by the way, because it's soon to go bye-bye - I've been told that this will definitely won't be happening any time soon.

Mick: "Do you know whether or not anyone has or is intending to pickup NBC's new show Lipstick Jungle in the UK?"
Neil: Living, understandably. But more on that show soon!

Ann Namuddu: "Hi Neil. hope you're well. Mine's a quickie, Charlie Jade. Been seeing teasers on FX about this tell me more, what's it like, when does it start and it hasnt already been cancelled....before i get really excited? Also any news on when Spooks starts?"
Neil: Spooks returns next week (again, more on this shortly). Charlie Jade is an interesting series. The concept is quite cool: it's about three parallel versions of Earth (Alphaverse, Betaverse, Gammaverse), each with different stages of moral and environmental decay. Unfortunately the execution is somewhat lacking, with drawn-out scenes, dodgy dialogue and unengaging characters. It's very much a US cable network production, but maybe worth watching for the first few episodes at least if you are sufficiently intrigued by the idea. Catch it Fridays at 8pm on FX.


That's your lot for today. More tomorrow (Tuesday)!

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