What's working ... October 13

1. John McCain making up with Dave. The GOP nominee will slink back to the Letterman show Thursday to atone for telling a fib to get excused last time. Welcome back to the celebrity circuit, senator.

2. "South Park." Last week's episode in which movie icons Steven Spielberg and George Lucas defile Indiana Jones in a series of movie-rape reenactments ("Deliverance," "The Accused") was fiendishly funny, and was film criticism of the highest order, and was the most-watched season opener in nine years.

3. Fox Business Network. FBN has languished in digital-cable obscurity because it didn't have what Fox News had: enemies. Now it has one in CNBC resident screamer Jim Cramer. FBN is buying TV ad print ads that ask "How Bad Is Cramer?" and "Can You Afford to Watch CNBC?" They'd be tacky if they weren't so true.

.... AND WHAT'S NOT

1. Jim Cramer. In 2006 he yelled: Sell Apple! In 2007 he shouted: Bear Stearns is fine! A few weeks ago: Buy Wachovia! Last week on "Today," he ordered viewers to panic-sell their stocks. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day -- problem is, Cramer never stops.

2. The FCC. Chairman Kevin Martin now says there may not be enough $40 converter coupons for consumers to upgrade their TV sets to digital. Great. The FCC's being run by a guy who doesn't even know how to put pork in the bailout bill.

3. "Frank TV." You wonder if TBS keeps bringing back this show, which passed its sell-on date a year ago, just to have to promote nonstop during the baseball playoffs.