Refreshingly original, bracingly adult, and thoroughly delightful, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES is like the answer to a TV prayer you didn't know you'd made.

271

The crowd is willing to accept a few jokes at their expense, but they won't accept a host who turns the entire event into a joke. And the challenge is even greater for a host who is an outsider — even a well-respected outsider like Stewart.

176

It's a season with few highs and few lows, but the general level of mediocrity is higher than it has been.

117

The Oscars pose an unusual, and for many, insurmountable challenge for a host. You have to be big enough to command that stage, and smart enough to know when to step back and let the awards take over.

110