Ox Notes: August 1, 2007

Spoilers for tonight's episode of So You Think You Can Dance are available here. You'll all be relieved to know that the "same solo" concept from last week is kaput. Instead, each couple will have to dance to dances together.

When Nigel Lythgoe's new show, tentatively called The Next Great American Band, premieres on October 19, bands competing will have the option of performing their own original songs -- unlike all-cover American Idol.

Rosie O'Donnell was apparently offered $2 million by Mark Burnett's production company to appear on the forthcoming celebrity edition of The Apprentice. Fortunately, Rosie's already rich, so she didn't have to think twice about turning down the money.

Ad-supported cable channels are posting record-breaking summer ratings as a result of airing new scripted series while the major networks focus on reality shows. But the content of those scripted shows is still relatively tame, as dramas focused on sex are still primarily relegated to pay channels like HBO and Showtime.