I can’t be alone on this one: I used to have to sneak around to watch Married With Children. My mom was so not down with me watching that show. I didn’t totally get it (until later), but I loved Christina Applegate enough in her role that I even watched when she was on 21 Jump Street. I also watched when she starred in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead. I tuned in to see her in Mars Attacks! and The Sweetest Thing.

Let’s not forget her fierce Emmy-winning performance on Friends, and the brilliance that is Anchorman.

She’s always been one of those actresses who is not only so hot, but is also so full of artistic integrity that you can pretty much bet whatever she’s in is going to be good. Her latest project, Samantha Who? seems a perfect addition to her canon. After years of great performances in good roles, there was something about her role as Samantha that was just haunting. So it saddened me to hear that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. … continue reading

When we started our Lesbian Scientistics program at AfterEllen.com, we were interested in answering one question: Are powerful women hot? The answer was yes, sort of. Actually, it was kind of inconclusive. While lesbians, it seems, are attracted to power, they think other qualities are hot too. But what other qualities? Well, last week when the Emmy finalists were announced, it seemed a perfect time to do a little more scientific research.

Firstly, we looked at the nominees for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama:

Sally Field, Brothers and Sisters
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Glenn Close, Damages
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: SVU
Holly Hunter, Saving Grace

Secondly, we pondered the women nominated for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy:

Julia Louis-Dreyfus, The New Adventures of Old Christine
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Mary-Louise Parker, Weeds … continue reading

Tonight on ABC, Christina Applegate's new series Samantha Who? premieres. Time Out New York calls it "easily the best new sitcom of the fall crop, though there's an extent to which that's damnation with faint praise." I feel like I've heard almost nothing about this show, but it might be worth a look, especially with costars like Jean Smart, Jennifer Esposito and Melissa McCarthy (Gilmore Girls).

Over on CBS, Melanie Lynskey (But I'm a Cheerleader, Heavenly Creatures) guest stars on Two and a Half Men, which should really be called Two Hotties when Lynskey and Holland Taylor show up.