Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes was online Friday, Feb. 22 at 1 p.m. ET to try to figure out who won and who lost in the writers' strike deal and critique the final 24 for this season of "American Idol" (so you don't have to). Don't forget to vote in our poll on which are your favorites.

The transcript follows.

Lisa Watches So You Don't Have To: "American Idol" | TV columns | On TV discussion transcripts.

De Moraes has written "The TV Column" for The Post since 1998. She served as the TV editor for the entertainment industry trade publication the "Hollywood Reporter" for almost a decade.

____________________

Forest Glen, Md.: Last night my husband said I talked to the TV during "Lost" more than I talked at dinner. Am I the only one still watching this show?

Lisa de Moraes: Hi. So are you saying that watching "Lost" is helping your marriage because it's helping you better communicate at home? I will add this to the many reasons why watching TV is good for you. And no, you are not the only person still watching "Lost" -- last night, for instance, it clocked nearly 14 million viewers, according to early stats, and handily won its time slot among 18-49-year-olds, who are the hot blonde chicks of Madison Avenue.

_______________________

Mesa, Ariz.: Why is David Cook channeling Mr. Collins in Colin Firth's "Pride & Prejudice"? Is a 19th century hairstyle really considered current today?

Lisa de Moraes: I knew I'd seen that hairstyle somewhere before! Truth be told, I think David Cook is trying to mask a receding hairline, so we must try to be sensitive. Or not. Hopefully the Official "American Idol" Hairstylist will convince him to grow back his imperial (aka soul patch, but "imperial" is more in keeping with the whole Jane Austin/early 19th century thing) and shave the dome...

_______________________

Herndon, Va.: The Divine Ms. deM: How long is NBC going to continue with its back-to-back "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" and "Law & Order," with "Law & Order" new every week, and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" new every other week? I'd rather there just be a new "Criminal Intent" every week until it's straight reruns.

Lisa de Moraes: I've tried twice to sort out this question, but my head is starting to hurt, so I'm going to stop thinking and just say that I think NBC is trying to draw out its original episodes as long as possible because it has so little scripted programming on its primetime lineup, owing to the strike and the fact it did not have a good season initially with scripted product...

_______________________

Reston, Va.: On the show "Life," the big mystery of who the real killer was got solved in the first 11 episodes. Did the story timeline get shortened because of the writers strike? It's a great show, but there doesn't seem to be much story left to tell. Killer found, conspiracy uncovered, the good guy can ride off into the sunset on his new white horse carrying big bags of settlement money.

Lisa de Moraes: Shouldn't we thank them and shower them with peanuts or light bulbs or something for not turning it into a three-season mystery and throwing in a polar bear and a large hole? ... Meanwhile, the lead character is a detective, so presumably they will continue to kill people on the show so he has something to do -- trying to solve, um, new mysteries and all. And if not, I know I still will watch anyway because Damian Lewis is totally hot. There, I've said it. I feel better.

_______________________

Reston, Va.: I understand that eight episodes of this season's "Lost" were "in the can" before the writers' strike. Do you know when ABC plans to shoot/air the remaining eight?

Lisa de Moraes: They are airing them now -- and they've rushed the show back into production, the network says, in hopes of making this more than an eight-episode season, though it's not going to be a full-season's worth of 24-ish...

_______________________

Washington: Did you watch the Knight Rider movie? I was bored and gave it a try. I even watched it until the very end despite several urges to turn it off. The acting was truly awful. To even call it acting is being generous. The transforming car was one of the more believable parts of the story. And yet I sat through all of it -- just to see how they worked in the Hoff. How sad is that?

washingtonpost.com: Knight Rider TV Movie

Lisa de Moraes: Pretty ... and yet, you were in the company of millions of other people, no doubt watching with the same good intentions. ... I say NBC can get about four seasons out of those good intentions...

_______________________

Anonymous: Hey Pookie -- do you have Oscar fever?

Lisa de Moraes: You betcha! I have not seen a single nominated movie. I'm so gonna win the pool at the party I'm attending on Sunday. I find total ignorance has served me very well in previous Oscar pools. ... I have boiled my love of the Oscars down to its very essence: I love the dresses...

_______________________

Washington: Hey Pookie: What's your theory? All the Idols (almost without exception) are cute cute cute. The past few years it seems to be they were more and more malformed and misshapen. Has America suddenly gotten more attractive?

Lisa de Moraes: Yeah, right, we're all on diets and got makeovers. I'm guessing it means the producers were far more involved in this year's Idolette selection than in year's past....

_______________________

Athens, Ga.: Pookie, I hate that they make the Idolettes sing the song that got them whacked. Show another Paula video or something. Er, uh, maybe not...

Lisa de Moraes: Wow, you must have found those performances really bad to suggest swapping out for another Paula video. ... Generally, when the booted Idolette sing The Song That Got Them Whacked on results night, they do a better job than they did during the competition, because they've got nothing to lose, they're not so nervous, blah, blah, blah. But last night, I think every one of the four gave an even worse performance.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Is "Journeyman" no longer?

Lisa de Moraes: Bye bye. ... Sadly, it did not seem to catch on with viewers. Tthough a drama about a hot time-traveling journalist and his even hotter wife may be gone, it appears a talking-car drama has been brought back from the dead. The "Knight Rider" teleflick/backdoor pilot did a good number last week...

_______________________

Philadelphia: Pookster -- I could not look at Paula Wednesday night without seeing Steven Cojocaru. Same haircut, same facial structure. It was very scary. Was it me? Also, why do chubby middle-aged men think they can get away with wearing patchwork pants? Make it stop.

Lisa de Moraes: They're not pants, they're trousers. I learned this from Randy this week on "Idol." Personally, I don't see the likeness, but I was too busy being morbidly fascinated by what they'd done to Paula's voice. It sounded artificial...

_______________________

Washington: Okay, Pookie, what is your problem with "Friday Night Lights"? Why must you hate it so? You're the only TV reporter I know of who doesn't love it and champion it.

Lisa de Moraes: Football ... cheerleaders ... need I say more?

_______________________

Annandale, Va.: Is there a way to make Josiah Leming from "American Idol" go away? He is making TV appearances anywhere and everywhere. Ellen DeGeneres gave him $8,000 worth of electronics for crying out loud! (Which is exactly what he did afterward.) During his performance I realized something (helps when you fall asleep): with his quivering singing voice and current housing status, he is trying to be the lovechild of Tracy Chapman and Jewel. Can you make him stop, please?

Lisa de Moraes: Don't worry, Pookie, his 15 minutes is nearly over. All the syndicated talkers -- and the network morning infotainment shows -- try to cash in on "Idol's" audience during the February sweep, which is wrapping up...

_______________________

Greensboro, N.C.: "Lost" never was going to be a 22/24 episode season. Their recent renewal agreement was for three seasons/16 episodes per season for a total of 48. I think "Lost" will end up having 13 episodes this season.

Lisa de Moraes: Heck, you're right -- my bad. Anyway, it won't be the full-season order, ABC said. I think they'll be extremely lucky to get to 13, given the challenges of shooting that show...

_______________________

"Big Bang Theory": I'm happy the show has been renewed. I think the main character (the guy from Roseanne) and the "hot" neighbor were miscast, but the tall roommate (Sheldon) is a great comedic actor. I think I have the hots for him.

Lisa de Moraes: I'm trying really hard not to be creeped out by your having the hots for Sheldon, but am failing miserably. The "hot" neighbor can't act, but isn't that kind of the point? She's the blonde bimbo next door. I think that would become more clear if the writers only would give her words of one syllable. Where they're slipping up is in giving her a few two-syllable words, which is totally out of character. Meanwhile I like Roseanne Guy in the lead role -- nice counter to Sheldon...

_______________________

"Friday Night Lights": The cheerleaders are almost nonexistent any more... you really need to love that show.

Lisa de Moraes: When it's not about football I'll love it. Promise...

_______________________

The past few years it seems to be they were more and more malformed and misshapen. Has America suddenly gotten more attractive?: Maybe "Idol" is changing its contestant-choosing procedures; after all, whatever they've been doing hasn't resulted in a lot of contestants who can sing well.

Lisa de Moraes: Ah, but it's not about winning any more -- just ask Simon. It's about getting a recording contract. You don't need to win. In fact, winning can hold you back. Just ask The Artist Who Wants to Be Known as Daughtry...

_______________________

Phoenix: Was "Knight Rider" good stupid or bad stupid? I can't tell, because (truth be told) I'm a little bit stupid myself.

washingtonpost.com: 'Knight Rider,' Up to Speed in a Hurry (Post, Feb. 21)

Lisa de Moraes: Well, given the whole car character thing, I'd say we'd have to go with "bad stupid" just on principle...

_______________________

Washington: Has Fox made a decision on "K-Ville"? The show really started to hit its stride in the past few episodes, but something tells me it will get canned.

Lisa de Moraes: Bye bye. The lead has been cast in one of the Law & Order shows. I can't remember which one, but frankly, it really doesn't matter. They're interchangeable...

_______________________

Jesse L. Martin is leaving "Law & Order": Wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Lisa de Moraes: ... and, he's replacing Jesse Martin, by the way...

_______________________

Herndon, Va.: The Divine Ms. deM: If "Knight Rider" does return as a series, can a new "My Mother the Car" be far behind? (But who would be the voice of the car with Ann Southern gone?)

Lisa de Moraes: I'm praying for the return of the talking horse, Mr. Ed ... I love that show...

"A horse is a horse, of course of course,
and no one can talk to a horse of course
that is of course unless the horse
is the famous Mr. Ed!"

(Yes, I know all the lyrics to the show's theme song...)

_______________________

"Idol" down to 20: Usually those who get the boot sound better on their swan song than they did previously, but the four who got cut last night certainly proved they deserved it.

Lisa de Moraes: You betcha ... good choices...

_______________________

Alexandria, Va.:"How I Met Your Mother" might be one of the greatest shows ever made, and yet when I talk to people about it, nobody has heard of it! And now there's a debate by CBS about whether to keep it or replace it with some game show or reality TV show that already has been done and won't have much staying power?! I mean, come on, Neil Patrick Harris convincing his cohorts to pretend that they're tourists from out of town to hit on New York girls, only get pissed when they find out the girls who declare themselves New Yorkers are actually from Jersey!? What's not to love?

Lisa de Moraes: Actually, CBS is doing all it can to help this show. They just announced they were flipping its time slot with "The Big Bang Theory" in order to put "Mother" in the 8:30 p.m. "hammock." The 8:30 and 9:30 half hours on CBS's Monday are protected timeslots for trying to grow new sitcoms, between stronger sitcoms on the hour. CBS hopes "Big Bang Theory," which opened very well in the fall, will help drive more viewers to "How I Met Your Mother."

_______________________

Falls Church, Va.: I saw your column listing the dates that TV programs would be returning but you did not include "Women's Murder Club." Has the show been cut? It looked to me as though it was getting good numbers for a new series.

Lisa de Moraes: Bye bye...

_______________________

And, he's replacing Jesse Martin, by the way...: 'Splain, Lucy!

Lisa de Moraes: I think Martin's been on the show about nine years, or maybe 29. Anyway, like forever. Maybe Martin just wants to do something else. Maybe Dick Wolf is trying, once again, to keep down the costs on his "Law & Order" shows by whacking actors who've been around for a while, presumably getting raises every season...

_______________________

"Friday Night Lights": Pookie, was "Friends" about a coffee shop and a New York apartment? No, that was just the window dressing for the people-stories we watched. Same with "Friday Night Lights."

Lisa de Moraes: You know how some people get freaked out by clowns? Show me a football uniform and I have run for cover...

_______________________

Washington: What's going on with "Dirty Sexy Money"? It wasn't that great, but I was kind of hooked to the trashiness of it.

Lisa de Moraes: ABC has renewed the show, but won't bring it back until next season and will relaunch it, as though it were a freshman show. Ditto ABC's "Pushing Daisies" and "Private Practice." NBC is doing same with "Chuck" and "Life."

_______________________

"Idol": Did they really have a No-Sanjayas policy this year, as you implied? From the looks of the final 24, they had a No-Melinda-Doolittles policy instead. And if the were trying to avoid another Sanjaya, it seems they've failed already. (Josiah got $8,000 worth of electronics? Where's he supposed to plug it in?)

Lisa de Moraes: Maybe the cigarette lighter in his car? I thought Garrett might wind up being this year's Sanjaya -- pettable hair, looked like he needed a good meal, not good but not hideous voice, etc. ... Not sure what you mean by "No-Melinda" policy -- no back-up singer, or no chicks missing their necks? ... Please explain...

_______________________

Hoboken, N.J.: I'm so disappointed Joanne was kicked off "American Idol." Now she'll return to the apartment next to mine and I'll be forced to listen to her sing. Maybe I'll be lucky and she'll leave to be on another reality show.

Lisa de Moraes: This was her second, right? Didn't she win "Mo'Niques Fat Chance" reality series? She does seem to be a serial reality show chick. ... But same can be said for David A., who won CBS's "Star Search."

_______________________

Owings Mills, Md.: "Celebrity Rehab": I actually think it's a pretty good show, but sometimes I wish I was watching it on PBS where they'd just let the documentary unfold. I don't mind that they interrupt for commercials, but I can't stand all those "coming up next" promos. By the end of the hour I feel like I've watched the same show twice.

Lisa de Moraes: You have -- clock how much time is eaten up by those "coming up next" bits before the gazillion ad breaks...

_______________________

Hair today gone tomorrow...: Paula's extensions on Wednesday night looked comical. You'd think her stylist could do better than that.

Lisa de Moraes: She needs a new hair person, for sure. On the other hand, she looked much better the next night. Maybe the hair person had the night off Wednesday. Or was stricken with the flu, which mysteriously seems to have stricken only the chick Idolettes...

_______________________

The "Dancing With the Stars" new season: So what do you think of the lineup? I actually think the new season of "Dancing With the Stars" has more people I've heard of than previous seasons. To top the one-legged woman from last year they have a deaf woman, plus one NFL player, a world-class tennis player and an Olympic ice skater -- and giant, goofy Penn of Penn and Teller. Should be fun?

Lisa de Moraes: This show does seem to have come up with "categories" of washed-up celebs and looks for someone to fit each category every season. Must make it a lot easier on the people who cast the show...

_______________________

Rohnert Park, Calif.: Who will be the be bigger train wreck on "Dancing with Stars," Priscilla, Penn (minus Teller) or the guy from "Police Academy"?

Lisa de Moraes: I'm thinking for pure "what the heck were they thinking" I'd go with Presley. I don't know why I expect her to have more dignity -- what with her being the keeper of the Elvis Presley flame, and Elvis wore that craptastic white jumpsuit for the last eight years of his life. But, inexplicably, I do...

_______________________

They've rushed the show back into production, the network says, in hopes of making this more than an eight-episode season: Shouldn't make any difference in the quality of the episodes, given that they all seem made up on the fly anyway.

Lisa de Moraes: I'm told it's part of its charm. Which is "Lost" on me -- hahahaha! (Sorry.)

_______________________

Garrett Haley Scarnato!: Why hasn't anybody mentioned how much this guy resembles Helen Hunt? Too bad Wild Card week is no more, because that could have been his comeback shtick.

Lisa de Moraes: I know this will make me a laughingstock, but I sort of liked his voice. It was sweet, in a Neil Sedaka kinda way. Of course, now that you've noted his resemblance to Helen Hunt, you've totally ruined it...

_______________________

Celebs: Any clues as to who will be some of the mentors this year on "Idol"?

Lisa de Moraes: Andrew Lloyd Weber, god help us...

_______________________

"No chicks missing their necks": Exactly! No big voices without much in the looks or personality department. They're all attractive this year, even if some of the prettier ones (Luke, Kristy) have forgettable voices. I'm surprised you don't see the Sanjaya potential in Danny.

Lisa de Moraes: You're right, Danny Noriega could be this year's Sanjaya. He too has pettable hair ... and a potential fan base of weeping 10-year-old girls...

_______________________

Priscilla on "Dancing With the Stars": She claims she's not going to wear skimpy costumes, on account of her age. Is it that she has lots of plastic surgery scars all over? Maybe she should wear a bag over her head to conceal the ghastly "work" she's had done, too.

Lisa de Moraes: That's hilarious. Did she really say that? Did one of her plastic surgery stitches pop as she tried to keep a straight face when she said it?

_______________________

Washington: Are you completely devastated that your boyfriends Colton Berry and Garret Haley have been booted off "American Idol"?

Lisa de Moraes: I was not a Colton Berry fan. Nor a Garret Haley fan, now that I think of it. You must be thinking of some other "Idol" blogger...

_______________________

Hi Lisa!: I love your chats, but why do you use so many ellipses?

Lisa de Moraes: I do it in lieu of having a writing style. So much simpler...

_______________________

Thank you: Thank you for providing a safe space for those of us who enjoy TV. It's nice to be able to relax my guard. My question is, how do the people who are so snooty about TV and don't watch it (and are therefore superior to me) know so much about the TV they don't watch? I mean, if you don't watch TV, shouldn't you be a little fuzzy about who stars in "Desperate Housewives"? And yet they all know -- including what character each plays. Do they pull this knowledge from the collective unconscious?

Lisa de Moraes: Clearly they're closet watchers. When they're ready to come out, we will embrace them with open arms. ... A warning though, some of them do show up on this chat from time to time....

_______________________

Four Corners, Md.: Pookie, what did you think of Paula Abdul's video? I thought she sounded like Peter Frampton in those Geico commercials. And while I found Randy rocking it on the guitar amusing, it was nowhere near as entertaining as dancing with the Cheetos guy.

Lisa de Moraes: I loved it. It was so spectacularly fun/awful. I hope it's the first of many.

_______________________

What does relaunch mean?: Will they reshow episodes from Season 1 of those frosh series, or start over from scratch? I really, really want to love "Private Practice," but the thing was, I hated it. Great, great actors, could be good stories, and instead I just thought it was a big hot mess, with ludicrous storylines.

Lisa de Moraes: I am guessing they will do a whole summer campaign, like networks do with their new series that are going to launch in the fall, and maybe right before their debut they'll marathon the repeats -- there aren't that many of them, what with the strike cutting off production. Anyway, that's what I'd do if I ruled television.

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: With this talk of "How I Met Your Mother" maybe not making it past this season and "Journeyman" getting the axe, I'm feeling my age and I'm only in my mid-30s. I remember way back when a couple of little sitcoms on NBC, "Cheers" and "Seinfeld," were doing terribly in the ratings their first year or so before becoming huge hits. The impatience of the networks is killing the creative beast. Next thing you know, "Chuck" and "Pushing Daisies" won't get past next season, and they're two of the best new shows out there.

Lisa de Moraes: I take your point, but I have to say I think CBS has been wonderfully patient with "How I Met Your Mother." NBC gets credit too, for trying to find a way to hang on to "Friday Night Lights" by playing it on more than one network. ... .And when "Cheers" and "Seinfeld" were on the air, television was a very different beast -- those comparisons are kind of apples and oranges. Just look at the landscape and the competition now, compared to when "Cheers" debuted...

_______________________

Paula, Randy and Ryan: Why do these three team up against Simon when he is clearly the only one saying anything coherent and intelligent? Do the producers encourage this? Ryan seems particularly bad at doing this. Maybe "Idol's" declining ratings will lead them to give Paula the boot. Bring back guest judge Jewel!

Lisa de Moraes: When Seacrest thanked judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul but did not thank Simon Cowell at the end of one of this week's gazillion "Idol" episodes, I thought it was funny. But when Seacrest did it again the next night, it came across as mean-spirited. Hopefully, the producers will nix that going forward.

_______________________

Jackson, Miss.: I want to see one of Priscilla Presley's facelifts pop a stitch.

Lisa de Moraes: Me too...

_______________________

Fans vs. Favorites "Survivor": I wish they would stop bringing back contestants that I liked on their seasons. They always turn into monsters and make me hate them (Cirie, I'm talking to you!). This season is pretty dull so far. I miss Dexter!

Lisa de Moraes: I'm not an "all-star" fan -- for any reality show. I like to see a show keep moving forward, not looking back...

_______________________

Chick Idolettes?: You mean they have male Idolettes? I guess I need to watch.

Lisa de Moraes: They're all Idolettes until one is crowned Idol...

_______________________

Arlington, Va.: Lisa, gotta ask the question we all want to ask ... do we have an Idolette yet to fill the "best shoes" role?

Lisa de Moraes: Yes, but sadly it was Amy, and now she's gone. Her shoes were incredible...

_______________________

What about "Moonlight"?: Didn't it get some award for happy viewers or something? Is that enough to bring it back?

Lisa de Moraes: Honestly, I can't explain it. But it has survived. For now...

_______________________

"Idol" eliminees: I so disagreed with the elimination of Amy Whateverhernamewas - she sang "Where the Boys Are," and frankly I thought she did a very nice job. And the judges -- well, Simon -- criticized her because when one sings a Patsy Cline song one must sound country ... only that was a Connie Francis song and she was 180 degrees from country! But I loved Justin/Jason whatever, who sang "What a Day for a Daydream" -- he's great!

Lisa de Moraes: Didn't Randy first bring up the whole country thing? Anyway, Amy slaughtered the song ... not that it's worth saving...

_______________________

"Idol" Dreadlock Boy: I am intrigued and fascinated by this guy. A good (not great) singer and immensely watchable. Really, really liked him. Is it the guitar? The dreads? The blue eyes? The fact that he seems to hate the producers for making him sit with the other guys in identical cheesy suits last night? I don't know ... but I just think he may quit the show when he starts having to do the group numbers at the beginning of the show. Is that why I like him?

Lisa de Moraes: Jason Castro was great. Not the best singer, not the best looking, but he was a load of fun to watch. The whole '60s costume party thing last night was strange and did not work. Yes, some of the guys, including Castro, looked really uncomfortable in the guy-suits, but it could have been worse -- the chicks were made up like it was Halloween.

I'm out of time. Bye.

_______________________

Editor's Note: washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions. washingtonpost.com is not responsible for any content posted by third parties.