It may not be spring yet, but HBO has apparently decided to clean house in their comedy department, as three shows have been given the ax. The network has gotten rid of cult comedy triumvirate Hung, Bored to Death, and How to Make It in America, all three recently having wrapped up their respective seasons.

However, it's not all doom and gloom, as the Laura Dern-Mike White critical favorite Enlightened has been granted a second 10 episode season following two Golden Globe nominations. Enlightened has also been making several appearances on TV critic top 10 lists, something none of the other three had been able to do. Though it's been the lowest rated of the four comedies in first airing ratings, the show made up for it through other means of watching (HBO Go, On Demand, etc.) and the buzz around it put it over the top.

Enlightened tells the story of Amy Jellicoe (Dern, Rambling Rose), an executive in corporate America that has a breakdown and is suddenly admitted to a rehabilitation center in Hawaii. Once she returns with clear eyes and amplified ambition, she has to come to terms with her past and try to steer herself into an ideal future. The show features White (School of Rock) as Amy's co-worker/friend Tyler, Luke Wilson (Old School) as Amy's ex Levi, and Diane Ladd (Wild at Heart) as Amy's mother Helen.

Enlightened joins Curb Your Enthusiasm as the only live-action comedies currently on HBO, but don't fret fans of pay-cable comedy. The network will be premiering several new shows in the coming months, including the latest from Summer Heights High's Chris Lilley (Angry Boys), another Ricky Gervais/Stephen Merchant collaboration (Life's Too Short), and projects led by Julia-Louis Dreyfus (Veep) and Judd Apatow (Girls).

Do you think HBO made the right decision in their renewals and cancellations? Which new comedy are you most looking forward to? Will you miss any of the three canceled shows?

HBO Renews Enlightened But Cancels 3 Other Comedies

HBO has officially announced the premiere dates for its upcoming fall shows, including a potential Emmy powerhouse, a summer transplant, and a new series from a respected actress.

The parade of premieres starts Sunday, September 25th, as Boardwalk Empire will debut its second season in typically grand fashion. The show, starring Steve Buscemi as powerful political player Nucky Thompson, has been an awards magnet since it finished its first season in December.

A week after we travel back to the 1920s with Buscemi, fellow Emmy nominee Kelly MacDonald, Michael Pitt, and company, it's time to spring forward with the premieres of Hung and How to Make It in America. Both comedies will be debuting on Sunday, October 2nd at 10:00 and 10:30, respectively. It'll be the third season for Hung, which stars Thomas Jane as a male prostitute trying to provide for his children in a tough economy, and the first in the fall. How to Make It in America, a comedy about the New York fashion scene, will entering its second season.

Bored to Death will be one of the last shows to premiere, as its third season will bow on Monday, October 10th at 10:00. Recently, series star Ted Danson was recruited to replace Laurence Fishburne on CSI, though it won't interfere with his duties as George Christopher. Finally, Enlightened, a new comedy starring Laura Dern, will make its series premiere on the same night at 10:30. Telling the story of a self-destructive executive who has a breakdown and is trying to get her life back together, Enlightened also stars Luke Wilson and Diane Ladd.

Not announced, however, were dates for the network's 2012 shows, which include the second season of Game of Thrones, the third season of The Ricky Gervais Show, the final season of Eastbound & Down, Girls, Veep, and Luck.

Which of these shows are you looking forward to? Do you think you'll check out Enlightened when it premieres? What do you hope happens on Boardwalk Empire this season?

HBO Fall Premiere Dates: Boardwalk Empire, Hung, Bored to Death and More

I feel like I probably know the answer to the primary question of this post. We all know that the Golden Globe Awards are a crock, especially when in reference to television. I originally wanted to write a post discussing whether or not it was worthwhile to even predict the outcome of the Golden Globe Awards’ television side, but then realized that would basically be a 250-word column featuring me saying “not really” in various ways. Critics and scholars complain a lot about the Emmys, but at least they follow a certain kind of logic and structure and outside of the HFPA’s love for sexy women, the Globes don’t work inside any sort of framework.

The Globes happen in the middle of the official television season (as opposed to the Emmy’s clearer position at the beginning of a new season with a reflection on the past one) and for the most part, the Globes do a bit of zeitgeist chasing. Glee was a big winner last year, as was Dexter in its most-talked about season right as Michael C. Hall’s cancer issues came about. I’m not saying the HFPA just picked Hall because he had cancer and it thus made a good story to run the next morning, but I really wouldn’t put it past them. Hall definitely deserves some praise for his work on Dexter, but I think you understand what I’m saying. When the Golden Globes nominated Piper Perabo for her work on Covert Affairs I think they did all the work for me in terms of explaining their logic and process, but if I were to distill it into bullet points it would probably be something like this:

• Attractive women = good choices
• Popular things, sexy things = good choices
• Things on cable, especially pay cable = good choices

That’s basically it. Those are the three criteria I am using to determine my “picks” for Sunday’s Golden Globes. I am not expecting to be correct with most of these and in fact if I end up being mostly correct, there’s probably something wrong with the HFPA. That means they’ve gotten complacent or listened to reason or something, which is unfortunate.

Yesterday, I handled the supporting categories. Today, the four lead categories.

Golden Globes Predictions: Lead Categories

Don't know what's going on? Click here.

HBO has long been declared king of the cable networks. But is its grasp slipping? While the network certainly had a good year, other networks did better. But does HBO still have that creative edge? With all its shows, it just might.

Vote below, and ensure your show has a spot in the next round of the awards by spreading the word! The winner of this poll will compete on Day 3 for the "Best Show on Cable" award. Stay posted today, though, for more chances to pick your cable favorites!

This poll will close at 2:40 EST on December 30, 2010.

[poll id="10"]

TVO Awards - Day 1 - Best Show of 2010, Round 1.1 - Best Show on HBO

Hung is such a strange series. It manages to be awkward to the point of perverseness, but it also manages to be touching and sweet, even when dealing with the theme of prostitution. Tonight's season premiere, "Just the Tip," managed to be just that.

Case in point: pregnant girl Claire (surprisingly not played by Emilie de Ravin, who set the bar for pregnant girls named Claire). Claire was previously unimpressed with Ray's services, which Ray later confesses is because her pregnancy reminds himself of a better, happier time, when he was still with his wife. However, Tanya encourages him to embrace that nostalgia, and in the end, both Ray and Claire end up feeling better about themselves, as illustrated in a scene that also illustrates how the actress playing Claire is definitely not wearing a fake belly.

Tanya, meanwhile, still has the crisis of self-confidence that has been going on since the first episode, mostly due to Lenore, who views Tanya as an obstacle in their shared business of selling Ray. Lenore is actually fairly business savvy, and Ray is aware of this -- despite her grating personality, she actually knows what she's doing, unlike Tanya. However, Tanya refuses to let go of Ray and his business, and decides to visit a local pimp, Charlie (played by the fantastic Lennie James, who you might know from his recurring role as Baptiste earlier this year in FOX's Human Target). His advice was to essentially manipulate Ray into "wanting the leash," of Tanya. What inevitably follows is Tanya's manipulation of Ray -- that surprisingly, she doesn't screw up.

The episodes scenes featuring Jessica and the kids were slightly out of pace with the rest of the episode, though they were tied up with the bowling scene of the episode, which makes a Ray and Jessica reunion -- or at least a revelation of the truth -- seem very likely.

All in all, this was a good episode, and has me interested to see where the second season goes. B+

Hung 2.01 "Just the Tip" Review

Thomas Jane's Hung has one episode in September, and here are all of the juicy details.

Episode #10:  “A Dick and a Dream” or “Fight the Honey” (season finale)
Debut:  SUNDAY, SEPT. 13 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Alarmed by a bad omen, Tanya (Jane Adams) ends up battling Lenore (Rebecca Kreskoff) for control of Ray (Thomas Jane), who is worried about his future after hearing rumors from Mike (Gregg Henry) about layoffs at school.  As Ronnie (Eddie Jemison) flirts with an old flame at work, an unfulfilled Jessica (Anne Heche) decides her battery needs a jump start.  Ray finds a sweet surprise inside his home, courtesy of his local bees and his frisky neighbor.  With a new relationship losing steam, Damon (Charlie Saxton) turns to Darby (Sianoa Smit-McPhee) for advice and comfort.

Written by Colette Burson & Dmitry Lipkin and Emily Kapnek & Brett C. Leonard; directed by Dan Attias.

Spoilers - HBO's Hung Episode Synopsis For September

Next month on HBO's daring new Comedy Hung, Ray (Thomas Jane) returns home to find his family murdered and uses his special forces training to go on a murderous revenge spree.  Okay, I made that up, and I know I will score no points with the comic geeks but Thomas Jane was my favorite Punisher.  Now, as for what will really happen in this new series concerning an economically embattled divorcee who turns to using his enormous penis to turn things around - not literally, although they seem to insinuate he could - read on.

Just look at some of these titles: Do it Monkey, You Cum Just Right, The Indelible Stench.  You can't tell me the Hung producers aren't in touch with some of the unsavory realities of poor Ray's gig.  Ick.

On a serious note, if you have not watch Hung yet - you really should.  It's as exploitative as you would think it could be, yet there is a freshness to the sexual frankness that is strangely relieving.  Imagining yourself in some of the conversations  that take place on this show is entertainment in itself, but maybe that's just me.  It's well acted, well written, and funny as hell - but most definitely adult.  It's not porn, just risque to the limits.  Hung is an interesting show to ponder because it seems to have the potential to either become a defining hit for HBO, or a colossal failure.  Since this is the network that made Real Sex a hit, I gotta think it's going to make it.  For now.

Don't forget to follow @SpoilerGuy on Twitter!  Here's your Hung spoilers.

Episode #5  “Do It, Monkey”-  SUNDAY, AUG. 2 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Ray (Thomas Jane) is frustrated when an unsatisfied client asks for a do-over of her “damsel in distress” roadside fantasy.  With times tight for Ronnie (Eddie Jemison) and Jessica (Anne Heche), Ray hopes to one-up his ex by promising to buy a car for the twins.  Tanya (Jane Adams) goes on a pity date with Floyd (Steve Hytner) and is surprised by the outcome.
Written by Colette Burson & Dmitry Lipkin; directed by Bronwen Hughes.

Episode #6:  “Doris Is Dead” or “Are We Rich or Are We Poor” -  SUNDAY, AUG. 9 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)

Tanya takes umbrage with Jemma (Natalie Zea) for bypassing her service to set up “dates” directly with Ray.  Still upset about a decision to put down her dog, Jessica confronts Ronnie about their finances, learning that times may not be as tough as he’s made them out to be.  After Jemma prods Ray to open up about himself, he gives his basketball team an inspiring pep talk.
Teleplay by Ellie Herman; revisions by Colette Burson & Dmitry Lipkin; directed by Craig Zisk.

Episode #7:  “The Rita Flower” or “The Indelible Stench” -  SUNDAY, AUG. 16

Ray’s relationship with Jemma gets murky when he begins to develop real feelings for her.  Tanya meets a hipster who sets out to help her get through her writer’s block.  Looking to land new clients at a farmer’s market, Ray runs into Jessica, who invites him to dinner with Ronnie and the twins.  Ray’s finds himself in a potential quid pro quo situation with Yael (Alanna Ubach), the wife of his despised neighbor Howard (Loren Lester).
Written by Emily Kapnek; directed by Jim McKay.

Episode #8:  “Thith Ith a Prothetic” or “You Cum Just Right” -   SUNDAY, AUG. 23 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)

After standing him up, Jemma tells Ray maybe they should take a break, and Ray seeks out Tanya for advice on women.  Meanwhile, Tanya finds her new boyfriend Pierce (Joshua Leonard) to be a man of mystery.  Attending a family barbeque at Jessica and Ronnie’s, Ray finds himself in a (predictably) uncomfortable place.  After seeing her classified ad, Lenore (Rebecca Kreskoff) gives Tanya some unwanted feedback on her marketing strategy, which leads Tanya to take a more personal approach.
Written by Brett C. Leonard; directed by Bronwen Hughes.

Episode #9:  “This Is America” or “Fifty Bucks” -  SUNDAY, AUG. 30 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)

Tanya is dismayed when a “satisfied” customer says she won’t be using Ray’s services again.  Later, Tanya pitches Happiness Consultants to other women in her office, with mixed results.  Damon (Charlie Saxton) goes to after-school detention to hang out with his androgynous friend Powell (David Lewis), leaving Ray baffled.  Lenore gives Ray lessons in branding and, after a chance encounter at a department store, offers Jessica lifestyle advice.
Written by Angela Robinson; directed by Seith Mann.

Spoiler Guy - HBO's HUNG For The Month of August