2011's Best Episodes: Modern Family's Sexy Time, Good Wife's Heartbreaking Split

Archie Panjabi From Oprah's surprisingly low-key farewell to the year's most soul-crushing break-up on The Good Wife (Kalicia, no!), the year was packed with fantastic hours of television - pretty much all of which we watched. There were teary goodbyes (Friday Night Lights' Texas forever! Smallville's tights and flights!), tense face-offs (why can't all CIA interrogations take place on the front porch of a cabin, like on Homeland?) and of course we made room for a little Glee (because certain underdogs deserved it). Which made the list. Tune in all week for our top 25. Here's the second batch in our weeklong countdown of 2011's best episodes (Catch up first with Episodes 25-21): 20. "Caught in the Act," Modern FamilyStraight out of the Three Company's handbook, the Emmy-winning episode built on a misunderstanding that's not exactly novel: Gloria accidentally emailed naked pictures of herself, intended for Jay, to Claire and Phil, who have also just scarred their own kids by being caught in the act. ("Whatever it was, it looked like dad was winning," Luke says of his parents' love-making.) 19. "To Be, Act 1," Sons of AnarchySeason 4's penultimate episode is a fascinating battle of wills between the show's female power players. Gemma (Katey Sagal) makes her big move, showing Jax the way to his seat as the head of the SAMCRO motorcycle club, while Jax's girlfriend Tara (Maggie Siff) out-Gemmas Gemma by making plans for she and Jax to leave Charming - and Gemma - forever. "What are you doing?" a stunned Gemma asks. "Everything you taught me," Tara replies. SAMCRO may be a boys' club, but it's the old ladies who keep surprising us. 18. "Let the Sun Shine In," Men of a Certain AgeThree 50-something men get colonoscopies, play golf and gripe about life - the perfect recipe for an hour of compelling TV, no? Well, no, but when Joe, Terry and Owen take a road trip to Palm Springs to get their colons checked, the pain of enlightenment isn't just, you know, physical. It will be a long time before we, ahem, fill the void left by this touching series, but it was episodes like this that make us realize we're just thankful that this quirky little show ever made it on the air. 17. "Getting Off," The Good WifeThis is the episode where Kalinda cries, an event that in and of itself qualifies as earth-shattering in the life of this stoic character. The tears come after Alicia (Julianna Margulies) tells Kalinda that she knows that she slept with her husband. The face-off between Emmy winners Julianna Margulies and Archie Panjabi is chilling, particularly since it would be their last scene together for a long while. Bonus: Sarah Silverman, in a rare dramatic turn, guest-stars as the owner of a website that facilitates adulterous affairs. 16. "The Spoil," JustifiedIt's hard to highlight a single episode of Margo Martindale's Emmy-winning season as Mags Bennett, but her rousing speech in "The Spoil." Martindale's effortless, smooth-as-Mags' homemade moonshine delivery reminds us how smart a villain she is, and how much of a fight she's willing to put up to protect her people's "way of livin' and dyin.'" And while Mags' icy mean streak didn't fully come out until the following episode, her actions in this hour put us on serious red alert.

Kristen Bell on 'Outrun': It's Like a Sundance Version of 'Smokey and the Bandit'

TV stars Kristen Bell and Dax Shepard are heading back to the back to the big screen in 'Outrun,' a new indie car chase film they convinced all their friends to be a part of. It's a project very close to Bell's heart, she said. "I made a movie with Dax and a couple of our other friends in the beginning of the summer -- right before the Showtime series ['House of Lies'] -- called 'Outrun,' which will come out in 2012," Bell said to Huffington Post TV. "I'm really proud of and it was the first time I've ever worn a producorial hat." Shepard pulled triple duty for 'Outrun,' acting, writing and co-directing the flick that also stars Tom Arnold, Bradley Cooper, Beau Bridges, Kristin Chenoweth, David Koechner, Michael Rosenbaum, Joy Bryant, and Ryan Hansen. According to HitFix, 'Outrun' follows Charlie Bronson (Shepard), an ex-getaway driver who is in the Witness Protection Program. He comes out of hiding to drive his girlfriend, played by real-life fiancee Bell, cross-country for a job opportunity. On their drive, the duo meet a variety of zany characters along the way and end up being chased by both cops (Arnold) and robbers (Cooper). David Palmer co-directed the flick. "[W]e asked all of our friends to be involved, all of our actor friends," Bell said. "Everybody made the time to do it, it was really cool -- actors we did not think would be involved or make time for our little movie and they did. We shot it for almost eight weeks and we had so much fun. It's kind of an indie car chase movie, it's like 'Smokey and the Bandit,' Sundance Style." Shepard and Palmer also co-directed the 2010 spoof film 'Brother's Justice.' Up next for Bell is Showtime's 'House of Lies' and 'Big Miracle' opposite Drew Barrymore and John Krasinski. And what about a 'Veronica Mars' movie? Find out what she had to say on the prospects of the project over at The Huffington Post. 'Outrun' speeds into theaters Aug. 24, 2012. [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

TV ad spending bucks slowdown

Television has proved resilient against the general slowdown in total U.S. advertising spending over the first nine months of the year, according to an ad-tracking report issued Monday by Kantar Media. Increased spending by movie marketers and packaged goods purveyors in recent months have helped the Big Four networks and CW offset losses suffered earlier in the year. All told, the TV sector's growth has been paced by gains for cable, Spanish-lingo outlets and syndicated programs. Total U.S. ad spending in the third quarter ebbed to what Kantar called a "barely palpable" 0.4% gain over 2010 for the July-September period. But the television sector registered a 3.2% gain for the quarter, thanks in large part to a 6.5% gain in cable advertising during the summer months that are the prime showcase for original cable series. The top 10 TV advertisers spent $7.3 billion on blurbs during the first nine months of the year, accounting for 15% of all TV ad spending, according to Kantar. But the expenditures by the top 10 marketers amounted to only a 0.1% gain over the same frame in 2010. Spanish-lingo TV outlets continue to ride rating gains to an impressive 18% boost for the third quarter, while syndie fare is up 14.8% as it continues to recover from losses suffered after the economic meltdown of 2008-09. For the January-September period, total TV advertising is up 2.3%, compared to a 1.5% gain for total U.S. ad spending, which hit $104.7 billion. Spending on Internet advertising (defined as paid search and display) was down 2.9% for the third quarter, while magazines were down 1.2% and newspapers fell 3.7%. For the nine-month frame, Internet ad spending grew 2.8%. Magazines are up 1.5% while newspapers are down 3.8%. The Kantar report notes that the biggest advertisers have become more conservative in their spending in recent months, offsetting the growth in expenditures by mid-sized advertisers. "The cautious optimism for the advertising market at the beginning of 2011 has been replaced by the statistical evidence of progressively slowing growth rates," said Jon Swallen, senior veep of research for Kantar Media North America. The broadcast nets and local TV stations are facing tough comparisons from 2010, which saw a burst of political advertising spending in key markets for state and federal elections. Network TV, defined as the Big Four and the CW, is down 5.7% for the first nine months of the year -- a drop Kantar also credited to the migration of college basketball and football games from CBS and ABC to the Turner cablers and ESPN. But network TV managed to eke out its first quarterly gain of 2011 in the third quarter, with a 0.2% increase chalked up to summer movie marketing blitzes and higher spending from the packaged goods arena. Local TV is down 2.7% from January-September and down 5.7% for the third quarter, when political spending accelerated last year. Cable TV (which encompasses 67 ad-supported channels) is up 9.9% for the first nine months of the year. Spanish-lingo TV is up 7.4% from January-September, while syndication is up 17.2%. Half of TV's top 10 advertisers cut their spending during the first nine months of the year vs. 2010. Chrysler and NBCUniversal parent Comcast were the biggest gainers. Comcast ranked No. 6 on the list with $685.6 million -- up 20.5% year-over-year as NBCU's film and TV units stepped up marketing activities. Chrysler ranked No. 90, with a 38.8% increase to $637.8 million, fueled by its introduction of new car models. Procter & Gamble Co. remains TV's biggest spender overall, even with a 6.9% decline over the nine-month frame to $1.2 billion. Contact Cynthia Littleton at cynthia.littleton@variety.com

Disney Introduces Younger Princess Sofia

Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith were assigned code names by the U.S. Secret Service during President Barack Obama's recent fundraising trip to Los Angeles, which included a Latino gala at the Banderas/Griffith estate in Hancock Park, Banderas said in a weekend interview.our editor recommendsAntonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith Holding Obama Fundraiser at Their Home'Puss in Boots' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players Who Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections While in London promoting his film Puss in Boots, Banderas told U.K. talk show host Graham Norton that the Secret Service agents nicknamed him "Zorro," in reference to his 1998 role in The Mask of Zorro. PHOTOS: 10 Entertainers Republicans and Democrats Love to Hate "We had a benefit for Barack Obama," Banderas said. "We received the President of the United States in our home. It makes me happy because it is not something you do everyday. We all had, in the family, code names for security. ... I was Zorro." He deadpanned: "It could have been worse. I could have been Puss." PHOTOS: Democrats and Republicans' Favorite Movies Norton told the audience that Banderas arrived in the United States 20 years ago, unable to speak a word of English and now he's serving as host to the president. PHOTOS: Actors Who've Played Politicians "This is very cool," the TV host said. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 10 Entertainers Democrats and Republicans Love to Hate Related Topics Antonio Banderas Barack Obama Politics

Jennifer Aniston Voted Hottest Woman of All Time

Jennifer Aniston Move over, Angelina Jolie: Jennifer Aniston just beat you on the list of 100 Hottest Women of All Time. The Friends star was voted No. 1 on the recent MensHealth.com poll, topping a list that includes Raquel Welch (No. 2), Marilyn Monroe (No. 3), Britney Spears (No. 4) and Madonna (No. 5). Jolie came in 10th place, following Pamela Anderson (No. 8) and Jane Fonda (No. 9). Check out the rest of today's news "Funny is sexy, and Jennifer Aniston is funny," Menshealth.com says of why Aniston is at the top. "Her down-to-earth persona makes her seem attainable... She rarely plays the airhead, and she seldom overplays a role: she's funny in a quiet, refreshingly human way. And her all-too-human love life off screen inspires sympathy that not even a string of bland romantic comedies can diminish. Other sex symbols drift toward one-dimensionality, becoming flat icons in the process, but throughout her career Aniston has remained sexy, funny, and unmistakably real." For her part, Aniston thinks the hottest woman of all time is actually a tie between Brigitte Bardot and Gloria Steinem. "But if I had to choose one, I'd say Gloria because, well, she's the full package. That's sexy." Who do you think is the hottest woman of all time?

Past the Black Rainbow

A Magnet Delivering (in U.S.)/Mongrel Media (in Canada) discharge of a Chromewood Prods. presentation. Created by Oliver Linsley, Christya Nordstokke. Directed, compiled by Panos Cosmatos.With: Michael Rogers, Avoi Allen, Scott Hylands.Ultimately making less sense than its title, author-director Panos Cosmatos' "Past the Black Rainbow" is occur a quasi-scientific facility that marks the remains of the once-benign Modern project that, like "Lost's" Dharma Initiative, went evil additionally, it appears to possess been designed after many tripped-out viewings of "2001: An Area Journey." Fascinating first impressions soon cave in to repetitive, sluggish sequences, recommending distrib Magnet will find it difficult to build cultish person to person. Craig (Michael Rogers) may be the progressively unhinged and megalomaniacal director of the "life changing" center (whose '70s-era marketing video opens the film with amazing verisimilitude) founded by his father, Mercurio Arboria (Scott Hylands). Only Elena (Avoi Allan), who's fortunate/cursed with extrasensory forces consequently from the center's bizarre treatments, appears to become under Barry's so-known as "care," but she's really his prisoner. Although lenser Norm Li's enchanting widescreen images and Bob Bottieri's pop-mod designs offer real pleasures, "Rainbow" grinds to some near-halt even while Craig goes completely crazy.Camera (color, Panavision widescreen), Norm Li editor, Nicholas Shepard music, Sinoia Caves production designer, Bob Bottieri costume designer, Kathi Moore. Examined at AFI Film Festival, November. 4, 2011. (Also in Stockholm, Fantasia, Tribeca film festivals.) MPAA Rating: R. Running time: 109 MIN. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

TV Ratings: 'How I Met Your Mother' Delivers Highs, American Country Awards Grow

Returning with the cast-of-thousands, multiple storyline approach they applied to Valentine's Day, Garry Marshall and screenwriter Katherine Fugate take on New Year's Eve, but this time out the result proves to be as appealing and effervescent as a flute of flat champagne.our editor recommends'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals'New Year's Eve' Film Stills: Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Jessica Biel'New Year's Eve': Abigail Breslin Talks About Her First On-Screen Kiss (Video)'New Year's Eve' Trailer: Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Zac Efron Ring in 2012 (Video)'New Year's Eve' Second Trailer Shows Off Star Power (Video) PHOTOS: 'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals A remarkably maudlin affair that possesses scant evidence of Marshall's trademark brisk efficiency, the trite romantic comedy may technically take place on the last night of 2011, but it feels stuck at least 30 years in the past. Despite the attempts of a sprawling all-star ensemble to lend their flimsy characters any sort of involving definition, the majority end up lost in the perpetual shuffle. While Warner Bros. could still ring in some decent numbers, the tally will likely fall well short of the $110 million enticed by Valentine's Day. VIDEO: 'New Year's Eve' Star Abigail Breslin Talks About Her First On-Screen Kiss Using a potentially intriguing p.o.v. as its jump-off point-the behind-the-scenes orchestrations leading up to the annual Times Square ball drop-the film squanders many rich possibilities as it flits indifferently from story to story and character to character. Among them: Hilary Swank as the stressed-out, newly-promoted vp of the Times Square Alliance, responsible for making sure the big countdown goes off without a hitch; Robert De Niro as a terminal cancer patient determined to take in the action down in the street; Jon Bon Jovi as a rock star and Katherine Heigl as the one he let get away who happens to be catering the big bash at which he'll be performing. Then there's Sarah Jessica Parker as a single mom having relationship problems with teenage daughter Abigail Breslin; and Lea Michele as a back-up singer who finds herself stuck in her building's stalled elevator with a jerky neighbor (Ashton Kutcher). VIDEO: 'New Year's Eve' Trailer: Ashton Kutcher, Lea Michele, Zac Efron Ring in 2012 Elsewhere, landing with a particular thud are a pair of strained plotlines-one involving Michelle Pfeiffer as a meek, mousy office assistant who enlists the aid of bike messenger Zac Efron to help her realize a bucket list of unfulfilled resolutions. The other features Jessica Biel and Seth Meyers and Sarah Paulson and Til Schweiger as a pair of expectant couples who face off in a fierce battle to take home the hospital's $25,000 prize awarded to the first birth of the new year. They mainly succeed in inducing groans. PHOTOS: Ashton Kutcher's Career Through the Years To add to all the fun, the glittering countdown ball has gotten stuck during a run-through, much to the displeasure of Swank, not to mention Ryan Seacrest who gripes that it wouldn't have happened to Dick Clark. While on the subject of dropping the ball, in spite of Marshall's endeavors to keep them all in the air, Fulgate's cavalcade of cliched characters never come convincingly together for a common cause. VIDEO: 'New Year's Eve' Second Trailer Shows Off Star Power Ultimately, their intertwined, forced stories play out like schmaltzy Altman. Only Halle Berry manages to mine some honest gravity as a night nurse who has a poignant celebration lined up come midnight, but, like so many of the performances in the distancing, incohesive New Year's Eve, it felt like it came from a completely separate movie. Opens: Friday, December 9 (Warner Bros.) Production companies: New Line Cinema, Wayne Rice/Karz Entertainment Cast: Halle Berry, Jessica Biel, Jon Bon Jovi, Abigail Breslin, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges, Robert De Niro, Josh Duhamel, Zac Efron, Hector Elizondo, Katherine Heigl, Ashton Kutcher, Seth Meyers, Lea Michele, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Til Schweiger, Hilary Swank, Sofia Vergara. Director: Gary Marshall Screenwriter: Katherine Fugate Executive producers: Toby Emmerich, Samuel J. Brown, Michael Disco, Josie Rosen, Diana Pokorny Producers: Mike Karz, Wayne Rice Director of photography: Charles Minsky Production designer: Mark Friedberg Music: John Debney Costume designer: Gary Jones Editor: Michael Tronick Rating: PG-13, 118 minutes PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'New Year's Eve' Premiere Red Carpet Arrivals Ashton Kutcher Jessica Biel Jon Bon Jovi Lea Michele Sarah Jessica Parker New Year's Eve

Justin Bieber Teaches You How To Dougie 'After Hours'

FROM MTV MOVIES: Hey girl (or guy), it's the moment you've been waiting all year forthe best of "After Hours" in 2011! It's been a banner year for the bizarre series of celebrity interviews, from Elijah Wood's murderous ways to James Franco's nut-kicking habit. But there's a lot that you didn't see this year, including "After Hours" host Josh Horowitz's dance-off against Justin Bieber, Joshua Jackson's ability to chug a light beer in ten seconds, and much more. Get the best "After Hours" outtakes in the video below! Get your "After Hours" fix at MTV Movies!