I know you all have your calendars marked for the final episode of Tina Brown's Topic A, so surely I needn't note that last night was the second to last episode of Tina's CNBC magudrama. (I just made that word up — not sure how I feel about it. Leaning towards the negative, actually, but it's a trial run.) As the clock winds down, Tina brought in Dan Rather — a kindred spirit? Perhaps, but we won't stretch it. And for those of you looking for the lighter side of Tina, Maer Roshan sits on the editor's roundtable for an intimate discussion of Britney Spears' and Kevin Federline's television trainwreck. After the jump, Henry the Intern's report (filed late because of his Desperate Housewives habit).

Tina was so casual and comfortable in the penultimate edition of "Topic A" that at one point she invited viewers to "grab a cold drink and scoot right back."

First, she and Dan Rather searched for the bright side of the demise of network news. Oh wait, does it count as an exclusive interview if no one else wanted him? Rather took full responsibility for the disputed National Guard story, he stands by producer Mary Mapes, and he believes deeply in the "essence" of CBS News (that is, they care more about "honor than honors"). He is disappointed by the cancellation of "60 Minutes Wednesday" because "it was another place where journalists were at least trying [to deliver] journalism that matters." Tina hopes a young entrepreneur will save the industry.

Tina asked, "Are entertainment values going to devour the news?" Rather said, "It's a constant fight," but "we have not yet lost the war." Tina suggested seducing "management to fall back in love with news." Rather thinks Bob Schieffer is "doing a terrific job."

Next, Tina interviewed Natasha Richardson, who is currently starring in "A Streetcar Named Desire." Said Richardson, "I really understood this woman... You take on the past [and] move forward."

Tina returned to analyzing the news media, this time with Ken Auletta. Auletta explained, "We tend to be in a collective crisis where we overstate things." Also, "The public gets in their mind a collective sense that the press makes things up." He ripped CNN for having "noble intentions" until they see the poor ratings. Tina again was wishful for an entrepreneur to rescue news a la Ted Turner. "Let's hope," she said.

The editor's desk roundtable reunited Tina with Maer Roshan for their first televised chat since the June 13th, 2003 "Topic A." Tina congratulated Roshan on the "fun, new" Radar, but he appeared nervous and Radar is hardly new.

The topic was UPN's "Chaotic," the faux-reality show from Britney and K-Fed. Vanity Fair's James Wolcott was looking to recover the I.Q. points he lost when watching the premiere: "This was a dumb trailer-park version of 'Truth or Dare.' [It's] just a kid running around with a camera. It's fake revelation." Agreed Stanley Crouch, "Not only are they dull, they're dumb." Roshan said it was "geared toward red states." Tina disagreed. Roshan revised: "It's anti- elitist." Tina concurred and thought Kevin seemed "retarded." Filmmaker Alexandra Pelosi supports Britney for operating the camera. Tina wondered, "Is accomplishment old hat?" Roshan replied, "Not really."

Brilliant line from T-Bro: "We don't really care if Chauncey Gardiner is anybody, we still want to meet him."

Hot picks
Wolcott: "The Americanization of Emily" DVD
Roshan: Starstruck by Michael Gross
Pelosi: "Entourage." Tina: "I love it."
Crouch: "Crash."
Brown: Secrets of the Kingdom by Gerald Posner

Closing quote by Alan Alda: "It isn't necessary to be rich and famous to be happy. It's only necessary to be rich."

Tina's sign-off: "Whatever your media diet, we hope you find the show tasty." Too bad we're nearing the end of the course.