Fade in on Sunnydale High School. It's nighttime, so all good students should be home studying. Nevertheless, we see a pair of teens break into the building. He's got amorous intentions and she's nervous. What if they get caught? Or worse, what if he's some kind of monster -- as in, the teen-boy-gone-wild, human kind?

A noise. She startles. Are they alone?

They are, he assures her. She smiles then bares her fangs and chomps down on his neck.

From that moment on, I was hooked.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was unlike anything I'd ever seen on TV before. At first glance, the series looked like a fluffy, teen horror show that wasn't going to last long.  But like Buffy herself, there was so much more going on. It was sharp and witty and the dialogue sparkled with pop culture references that they never bothered to explain. You either got it or you didn't. No apologies, no dumbing down.

The show struggled, but made it through its mid-season start on the also struggling new netlet The WB. Then it began to pick up steam. Critics began singing the praises, Sarah Michelle Gellar and company started doing photo shoots and interviews. I was lucky enough to be one of those early reporters who got in while the show was still finding an audience. I sang their praises to everyone who would listen and even to a couple of people who begged me to stop.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer was the most creative show on television and I couldn't see why everyone else couldn't see it. Then I realized that it didn't matter. Buffy wasn't created for the whole world to enjoy, it was created for the chosen few - for the Cult of Joss and that made it even more special.

Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion could be the cult's bible. It's 475 pages of essays and insights crafted by a forty different writers, all of whom have sipped the Kool-Aid. And I don't mean that as a snipe, I promise you. I say that with all love and affection for these folks who put their thoughts on paper and for the PopMatters editors who pulled it all together.

You see, this book wasn't written for the masses. It's not a biography of Joss Whedon, it's an academic look at all of his projects including Firefly, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, Dollhouse, his comic books and his movie work. Each entry examines a project from a specific angle. "When Buffy Met Biblical Studies," "Destiny and Free Will in Dr. Horrible," "Identity and Memory in Dollhouse."

Every author in the book is a fan, but that doesn't mean they give Joss a pass when things didn't add up. They call him on his failures, praise him on his success and ponder the parts that fell somewhere in between. It's heavy reading and in places, the authors reach for connections that might be more coincidence than a plan. It doesn't matter. What matters is that Joss gets us all thinking about religion and feminism, and power, and morals, and the evil that men do.

As Joss Whedon: The Complete Companion not-so-succinctly points out, Joss is a man of many talents, the greatest of which is his ability to entertain.

What is your favorite Joss Whedon project? Tell us about it in the comments below.

Seems like only last year, Jane Rizzoli was on her way to her high school reunion with her best pal Maura Isles. Oh wait, it was! It was the episode "Seventeen Ain't So Sweet" and you'll find it on the upcoming Season Two DVD which is available for pre-order on May 22.

Now Jane's a tough gal with good looks and brains to boot, so you'd think she be happy to get reacquainted with all of her old pals from high school. But I guess revisiting the past is tough on all of us, which is why she has to bring Maura along for moral support.

The event is awkward and boring but soon Jane is in her element when the richest guy in their graduating class turns up dead on the football field. As Jane looks for suspects among her classmates she realizes that her past experience with these folks is all she really needs to nail a murderer.

Luckily, I've never had to solve a murder, but I certainly have used lessons learned in the past to keep from making the same mistakes again. And like Jane, I've realized that those perfect people from high school, don't usually end up leading perfect lives. As a matter of fact, the real world can be pretty hard on the captain of the football team and the prom queen once they leave the safety of the high school halls.

Look at Maura. She has a great job, a beautiful house, brains, beauty and money. She also has daddy issues to end all daddy issues. Kind of make's Rizzoli's family look like the Brady bunch in comparison.

Are you ready for more Rizzoli & Isles? The series returns to TNT on Tuesday, June 5th at 9.  In the meantime, pick up Season 2 on DVD and relieve every crazy moment of this unique detective series.

 “I have been hired by Warner Bros. WBWord division to promote Rizzoli & Isles Season Two on DVD."

I've seen all kinds of movie tie-in products in my life but this one is to die for. Inspired by the new movie Dark Shadows, it's the Crimson Amulet Make-up Collection by NYX Cosmetics

LIMITED EDITION! Captivate and mesmerize with your beauty using the Crimson Amulet collection. This palette inspired by the film “Dark Shadows” comprises of 24 matte and shimmery lush eye shadows, 5 intoxicating blushers, 1 luminous highlighter, 4 succulent lip colors, 1 HD Studio eye shadow base for a more intense eye shadow hue, and 1 extreme black liquid eye liner. Recreate the enticing female characters’ in Dark Shadows using the collection!

To complete the look, Orly has a collection of nail polishes with names like "Buried Alive" and "Decades of Dysfunction."

Gotta love the sense of humor. You can buy the set online or at a local beauty supply store.

Once you're all made up, pose for a portrait and become part of the Collins family gallery. You can also check out the Collins Family Tree and if you're really in a mood, use Angelique's Curse Generator to put a whammy on that guy who done you wrong.

Finally, to help you get into the mood, you can preview Danny Elfman's mischievous score at AOL Music.

Dark Shadows opens in theaters on May 11.

When I was a child, I dreamed about living at Collinwood. Sure, the place was over run with vampires, ghosts, werewolves and nasty human beings, but it wasn't the stuff of nightmares for me. I loved everything about Dark Shadows. I wanted to explore The Old House with Willie Loomis. Smell the salt air at Widow's Peak with Josette. I wanted to have a drink with Joe Haskell at the Blue Whale and have dinner with Elizabeth and Carolyn at the main house.

A half hour a day of Dark Shadows wasn't enough for me. So I honed my writing skills penning my own fan fiction while listening to the soundtrack album, surrounded by photos torn from Tiger Beat and 16 Magazine.

My family wasn't surprised by my obsession. For many years, my bedroom was decorated in Universal Monsters' style. I had a full collection of Aurora monster models (built by me), monster movie posters on the walls and a bookshelf full of spooky tales. One shelf was nothing but gold spines -- Dark Shadows tie-in novels which I bought at the Berlin Auction as soon as they came out.

I suppose the big question is why? Why was I, and so many others, crazy about Dark Shadows? Maybe because it was unlike anything else on TV at the time. It was spooky and cool and romantic in its own quirky way. Victoria and Maggie were girls I could relate to. They were normal girls who wandered into an extraordinary situation and I wanted to trade places with them in spite of the danger.

And while most people were fascinated with Barnabas Collins (Jonathan Frid), I had a soft spot for Willie Loomis (John Karlen). Oh, I know. He was a whiny, conniving, ne'er do well who got what he deserved when he tried to rob a Collins' coffin, but I still adored him. And I continued to adore him as he changed characters and personalities through the run of the show and the later movies.

There are more than 1,000 episodes of Dark Shadows. Many of the cast members were there throughout much of the run, often playing different characters in different eras and alternate worlds. We've lost quite a few of them, most recently Jonathan Frid, but also Grayson Hall, the regal Joan Bennett, Louis Edmunds and Dennis Patrick. But still carrying the torch on behalf of the show we have Lara Parker, Kathryn Leigh Scott, and my dear John Karlen just to name a few.

We also have MPI, they've done an amazing job keeping the lights burning at Collinwood. They just released the entire series in one incredible collection. 131 discs in a coffin-shaped case. When lined up, the discs form an image of Barnabas in his coffin, which right at the moment, is a little too disturbing for me, given Mr. Frid's recent passing.

If the full set is a little rich for your blood, pick up one of their greatest hits collections.

Dark Shadows: The Best of Barnabas includes 9 episodes spanning from 1967 to 1970. Each episode has a new introduction by Lara Parker. You'll see the first time Barnabas meets Maggie Evans, a romantic encounter with Josette, a suspicious moment with Quentin and an alternate universe episode with Willie the writer wanting to interview Barnabas for his book.

Dark Shadows: Fan Favorites also features 9 episodes with new introductions. You'll see Angelique put her spell on Barnabas, see his return to Collinwood after being released from his coffin, watch him hunt a werewolf with Julia and save Maggie from a fate worse than death.

If you've read this far, you probably know that Johnny Depp is starring as Barnabas Collins in a big budget movie remake of Dark Shadows. It's a Tim Burton film so it's quirky and funnier than most people had imagined when it was announced. I've no doubt that it will be entertaining, a fun homage to the series. But there will never be anything like the original Dark Shadows. Pick up one of the "Best of" DVDs and experience it for the first time, or the first time in a long time. It's a show everyone should see at least once.

Paging Dr. House. Paging Dr. House. You're wanted on Facebook, STAT!

NBC Universal has just released a brand-new Facebook game based on the TV series House. The game is called House, M.D.: Critical Cases. The object of the game is properly diagnose your patients and treat them so they don't die. As you work, you'll have plenty of input from the staff at the Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital and but you'll also have to endure constant badgering from House himself.

The game begins with your first patient. He falls ill, then an ambulance brings him to the hospital. At that point it's your job to begin the examination and start tossing around possibly answers with your colleagues.

Sometimes it will help if you visit the patient's place of residence so you can look for clues.

Back at the hospital, you begin to treat the patient, but if you make a mistake, look out! My patient went into cardiac arrest. I called for a crash card, charged the defib machine and managed to pull him through but it was close! From there, you can order other tests (each is its own skill game) and continue treating the patient. But as you can imagine, all of this work costs money so you have to keep performing tests in order to increase the budget.

In addition to saving patients, you can also manage your own hospital and hire your friends to work for you. If you really get stuck you can always call on Dr. House for help. . . but don't count on getting any.

If you love playing doctor, check out House, M.D.: Critical Cases on Facebook. If you're going to spend your spare time on games, you might as well learn something!

Want to socialize with the Real Housewives? Check in with them starting this Saturday, April 7 and become a part of the show.

Bravo is asking Housewives fans to comment via Twitter, Facebook and Google+, during the premiere run of The Real Housewives of Orange County at 7pm and The Real Housewives of Atlanta at 8pm.

The comments will be reviewed by Bravo and the best ones will be featured as pop-ups during the repeat airings.

Ready for your 15 seconds of fame? Visit the The Real Housewives of Orange County Facebook page, Atalanta Facebook page or Bravo on Twitter to leave your comment.

Here are a few new digital goodies to make your TV obsession complete:

RuPaul's Drag Race Ringtone

To celebrate the RuPaul's Drag Race Reunion Special, RuPaul is offering her famous "You've Got Shemail" announcement as a free ringtone.

To get it, all you have to do is "like" the Drag Race Facebook page, then fill in your contact info. The ringtone will be emailed to you on April 30th, in time for the special which airs at 9:00 pm on Logo.

 I Love Lucy Game at Retro World

Retro World combines modern gaming with classic TV. The game looks like an old TV set and in this case, you're prompted to walk-through the I Love Lucy episode where the guys and the gals switch roles in life. The pay-off to this episode is the famous scene where Lucy and Ethel try to keep up with the candies that come down the conveyor belt. On TV it's funny. On Facebook it's annoying.

The game is made up of 100's of slides that make it look as if the characters are moving, flip-book style. They're telling the whole story so you have to click-through screen after screen of each character's dialogue before getting to the game portions. Help Ricky make breakfast by locating the items in the kitchen. Answer the phone when it rings. Then go to work as Lucy in the candy factory.

After playing for several minutes, I started to get a headache from the animation style. I also got very bored with the long lengths of dialogue. Maybe if I didn't know the episode so well, I would have been amused, but I wasn't.

Also, as you can see from the screen shot, the game doesn't fit properly on my screen. It's a cute idea, but the time spent on each section needs to be cut down. As it stands, I won't be playing again.

For more digital goodies, read my Digital TV Weekly column at Tecca. This week it's all about Titanic, Mad Men and the Breakout Kings.

I didn't know anyone still used email stationary but apparently they do.

This week Meeble Mail rolled out 32 designs based on Star Trek.You can choose from cast photos, insignias, the Enterprise soaring through space, even stationary from the desk of an ill-fated red shirt crewman.

You can customize your selection with your own name and info. Then download it for $4.99 and attach it to your internet email account.

Click here to see the full line of options.

This week's Tecca Digital TV Weekly roundup is all about stars, singers and zombies.

I take a look at the new Celebrity Apprentice play-along game for the iPhone and iPad.

Also, I dive into the two TV apps delivering an American Idol experience.

Finally, we strap on our flame throwers and head into the world of the new Walking Dead Social Game on Facebook and make a monster with Syfy's Monster Man Cleve Hall.

You'll find it all at Tecca.com. Just click these underlined words and you'll be magically transported there in moments.

Think you can solve crimes as well as the detectives of Law & Order? Here's your chance to find out. It's the newly released Law & Order: Legacies from Telltale Inc.

Law & Order: Legacies

Price: $2.99

Imagine working shoulder to shoulder with Olivia Benson, Jack McCoy or Lennie Briscoe. Each story allows you to play first as a detective then as a lawyer as you head off to court to make those charges stick.

Law & Order: Legacies even has multiple endings depending on the choices you make in the court room. Be careful how you plead, because a man's life is at stake!

When you buy the game, you get the first episode titled "Revenge."

A maid at a five-star hotel is found murdered. Benson and Curtis investigate, uncovering a conspiracy involving hackers and powerful media magnates.

If you want more episodes, you'll have to pay an additional $2.99 for each one. There are two currently available (as of December 23) and more coming in 2012.

Review:

Law & Order: Legacies opens with the show's familiar theme song, so right away, you feel like you've sat down to watch an episode. From there, it's off to the crime scene with Benson and Curtis. Of all the characters I've encountered so far, these two are the closest to their live-action counter parts. They look like who they're supposed to be and the voice acting is a close approximation of the actors who play them on TV.

Later in the story, Lennie Briscoe pops up, but I wouldn't have known it was him if they hadn't called him by name. Lt. Van Buren also shows up, but she's more of a caricature, not the strong, well-rounded character you see on TV.

The point of the game is to solve the crime. You do this by discovering clues and interviewing witnesses. At each stage, you earn stars for good work and if you make too many missteps, you have to start the interview over.

The guided game play here is a little too elementary for my taste. You're offered a list of subjects to discuss with each witness, but since you have to go through the full list, the order you ask doesn't really matter. Not sure why they give you the option. At various points, you're asked to decide if a person is lying and why you think so. Usually, this is based on information you learned previously. This can be tricky if you don't play the game on a regular basis.

In addition to interviews, you also search for evidence. I had a hard time navigating around the room. When you find an item, you circle it to get a better a look.

When I first started playing, it was fun but overall it was too simple for me. I didn't feel like I solved the crime using my own skills, I was just led to the correct conclusion by the game. I say the game needs to trust that the players are smart enough to find the killer without being handed everything as you go. And if they get it wrong, then they lose the case in court. That's kind of the whole point of Law & Order, isn't it?

Download Law & Order: Legacies from Telltale Inc on iTunes.