Linda Holmes

Who might direct the upcoming Justice League film? Perhaps the Wachowskis, whom you might remember from a few films with Matrix in their titles. [Vulture]

Clive James has an essay about Pauline Kael, whose stuff you really should read if you never have. "Trash, Art, And The Movies" changed my life. [The Atlantic]

On this week's show, it's time to talk about the supporting characters who are getting their own stories — just like Judd Apatow is doing for Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann's characters in This Is 40. If you can't get behind Glen's spin-off idea from the world's most studly franchise, then I just don't know what to say to you, because frankly, it's brilliant.

Dying to know what's going to be different on this "cycle" (it's what they say instead of "season," for reasons unknown) of America's Next Top Model? You'll be glad to know that Tyra Explains It All. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Twitter wasn't built to give voice to Curiosity, the rover currently exploring Mars, but it's awfully well-suited for the purpose.

Mike Birbiglia talks, along with some other people (Carol Kane!) about comedy and his new film, Sleepwalk With Me. [The A.V. Club]

NBC is in need of a stroke of luck. They need something to work. The Olympics are over; it hasn't appreciably changed anything yet, and there's certainly no swell of excitement about Animal Practice and Go On that leads me to believe previewing them during the Olympics will make them hits any more than that strategy usually does.

What's that you say? You wanted more Barrie Hardymon? Well, this week, Stephen is in Wisconsin probably eating some cheese or something, so we have Barrie back for a second consecutive week (hooray!).

This video of The Hills star Lauren Conrad cheerfully slicing up what she refers to as a "vintage book" or a "slightly used book" might not be "the worst craft idea ever," but it's pretty bad — and sort of hilariously, blithely ignorant of how angry it will make people. [Buzzfeed]

I'm sure you've already noticed — from the parades, the fact that your mail hasn't been arriving, and the way everyone gets the week off of work — but this is Shark Week, when the Discovery Channel generates a week of shark-themed programming. (Tonight: Sharkzilla, which is, surprisingly enough, not a SyFy movie, and the Mythbusters shark special.) (Trivia: Did you know the decorative shark that is traditionally displayed on or near Discovery's Silver Spring, Md. headquarters to celebrate this special week is named "Chompy"?

The fact that NBC's new reality show Stars Earn Stripes is kind of an offensive concept should not distract you from the fact that it's stultifyingly boring as television and badly designed as a reality-competition show.

This week, I managed to return from press tour, but we are still without Trey Graham. Fortunately, that means that the lovely Barrie Hardymon joined us for this episode, which kicks off with me fully (and exhaustively — sorry!) debriefing the team about fall television as I experienced it out in Los Angeles.