Page 18 THE RETRIEVER WEEKLY FEATURES October 29, 2002 Get Your Scrubs with Will & Grace in Smallville this Fall! from TV, page 15 –on NBC, Thursdays starting at 8:30 staple of the Thursday night line-up since it his own network television show be able p.m. debuted, breaking taboos by becoming the to get the girl of his dreams? Not Clark One would also think that a cute-as- first sitcom to premiere with a gay main Kent. Full-time high school student and a-puppy-dog medical resident and a character. Admirably, the Emmy-winning part-time burgeoning superhero, this guy quick-witted New York lawyer would series has never succumbed to the easy has enough angst to blow Dawson’s have no trouble finding love. But the stereotypes its characters might fit in—the Creek out of the water. Unable to share fates of network television deliver a effeminate Jack, the drug-addled Karen, the the secret of the powers that he is only to resounding “Nuh-uh.” neurotic Grace, the uptight Will. They are understand he possesses, Clark is neither Scrubs, the number one new sitcom all deeper than they seem and together they man nor Superman. of last season, has moved in behind the make-up one of the sharpest comic ensem- What makes Smallville worth your powerhouse Friends, obvious heir to the bles to come across the boob tube in years. precious hour is that Clark (played by Must-See-TV throne and it’s a breath of Whatever channel your remote lands Tom Welling) has everything that every fresh air on TV’s funniest night. Filmed you on, living vicariously through charac- Courtesy of NBC Television high school guy wants (plus great hair), with one camera (as opposed to the ters on these shows will be relaxing and ER, But Funnier: NBC’s Scrubs merges and yet all he desires is to be a normal usual three) and without a studio audi- refreshing, a worthwhile expenditure of the comedy and tragedy in this medical high school kid and gain the affections ence, Scrubs has a completely different free time that you usually spend worrying. series about a group of fledging doctors. of Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk), who is feel than anything else on television. As if you needed any other reason to pro- growing more and more irritated this Focusing on the myriad interactions of a hospital staff, Scrubs has the perfect crastinate… season at the walls that Clark is building mix of characters: the wide-eyed resi- in their friendship. She knows he’s keep- dent, J.D. (Zach Braff), his cocky room- ing something from her. Another sur- mate, Turk (Donald Faison), his neurotic prising edge to this show—Lex Luthor on-again/off-again galpal, Elliot (Sarah (Michael Rosenbaum), Superman’s Chalke), and the acerbic chief resident, Dr. archenemy in the movies, is one of Clark Cox (John C. McGinley). Scrubs is not a Kent’s closest and most trusted friends. sitcom so much as a “smart-com,” and it’s So how will this man become the loopy wit and absurd take on everyday life Superman that we all know and love? are a welcome break on a Thursday night, When and how will Lex Luthor turn or any night. from friend to foe? What happens to Poor Will Truman (Eric McCormack), Lana Lang, and why do we only see a for four years he’s been perpetually single Lois Lane in Clark’s future? The mys- eye of a storm, surrounded at all times by tery will continue to unravel as we trace Lucy-esque roommate, Grace Adler (Debra the steps of Superman’s past through Courtesy of the WB Messing), delusional and dependent friend Courtesy of NBC Television Clark Kent’s high school years in Big Happenings in Smallville: Tom Jack McFarland (Sean Hayes) and Grace’s Have Comedy, Will & Grace: Winner Smallville. Welling, Kristin Kreuk, and Micheal boozy socialite receptionist, Karen Walker of three Emmys and a People’s Choice SCRUBS and WILL & GRACE Rosenbaum star in the WB hit show. (Megan Mullally). Will & Grace has been a award, Will & Grace is a comedy for all. Be One with Your Decor DEVLYN FENNELL game but instead of betting money bet Retriever Weekly Staff Writer chores. “I see your ‘doing the dishes’ and raise you a ‘scrub the toilet.’” That’s pretty If pressed, most people will admit to risky though, you could end up cleaning five some level of dissatisfaction with their living bathrooms instead of just your own. space. “It’s too messy.” “It’s too bland.” Other kinds of décor problems can be “Nothing matches.” “It looks like a paisley dealt with in a less icky way though. It does- person exploded in here.” No matter what it n’t even have to be expensive. That doesn’t is people invariably plan or hope to buy/get mean it will always be a permanent or per- rid of/cover up something in the hopes of liv- fect solution, but it could possibly work in ing more comfortably without whatever the short term and make you much happier assault to the eyes is lingering about. At with where you live and make you feel like times, perfect satisfaction with your décor a totally creative and clever person at the seems ultimately unattainable, unless you are same time. Maybe you don’t like you walls. Martha Stewart, and look where it got her. Maybe they’re an awful color of magenta or Apparently, without the constant “needs to be have duck wallpaper or are covered in ugly done, so I’m not living in a plaid pigsty” list wood panels that make you feel like you live repeating itself in the back of your head, your on the inside of a packing crate like mine. energies become diverted towards things like Repainting or papering walls costs money insider trading. Revel in your dissatisfaction. that you may not have, or may not be We’re human beings and as such, we are allowed because it’s your dorm room or a constantly changing. Our tastes and styles rented apartment. Never fear, we are the alter, and we discover new interests and masters of disguise! What better way to loves. Without that continuous refreshing of make use of that feather boa that you have a who we are, we would surely fall into some hard time finding excuses for wearing out stale stasis of apathy. We reflect who we are then as a wall or ceiling hanging? And how and how we want to be perceived in how we about that awesomely colored sarong that set up our living quarters. Think how uneasy you bought before finding out that it makes it would make us should we walk into some- your skin look light green in the sunlight but one’s house and everything was blandly uni- you still don’t want to part with. Tack it up form and homogenous and no personal too! And curtains don’t only have to be for objects lurked about to give us clues to that windows you know! Go online and print out person’s personality. Cyborg serial killer you photos and pictures that strike your fancy say? Well maybe not, but probably mind and put them up with thumbtacks. Or just get numbingly dull at the least. an old bed sheet and paint a mural or what- Learn to enjoy the metamorphic process ever your creative instincts desire for instant that goes into decorating not only your and reversible wall art. house, apartment, or dorm room, but yourself Do you see how easy it can be? Do as well. Often the overall effect that you’re you see how much fun you can have with looking to achieve can be done fairly easily this? The finished project may be wonder- and be fun to do as well. With the exception ful (or not) but it’s the getting there that’s of course of cleaning which, lets admit it, is the best part. That and the fact that your hell, not fun. I can’t help you there. If your idea of what the finished product should be problems are all cleanliness based then it’s up will inevitably have changed by the time to you, unless you can convince/trick some- you get there. But then the fun just starts one else into doing it for you. Have a poker all over again!