new and noteworthy tv: 3/1-3/7

The Olympics are done so it’s time to start tuning back into some nonathletic tv watching, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Today (NBC, 7am) – The cast of Eight is Enough reunite!
  • Bachelor/After the Rose (ABC, 8/10pm) – Will he pick the gal everyone hates? Will it be true love? Who will the new bachelorette be? The two Bachelor fans I know will tell me the answers to those questions.
  • Rules of Engagement (CBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – This is one of those shows that isn’t bad, it just isn’t quite good and makes you wonder how Better Off Ted and others don’t get more time.
  • Law & Order (NBC, 9/10pm) – Now that we’re filling up that 10 o’clock hour again we’re just going to fill it with twice as much L&O, but I’m sort of back into this season.

Tuesday

  • Parenthood (NBC, 10pm) Series Premiere – I too am tired of the previews but who can resist a peek at Lorelai Gilmore and Nate from Six Feet Under being in the same family?
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – By season premiere what they mean is they’re actually going to air the episodes NBC didn’t bother with.

Wednesday

  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, 9/10pm) – Back to back drama with Mischa Barton and Kathy Griffin.
  • Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – The 100th episode heads to Alcatraz for an ‘interactive event’.
  • The Oprah Winfrey Oscar Special (ABC, 10pm) – Stars interview stars and Oprah may be sealing the deal on taking over Barbara Walters spot on Oscar night next year.
  • The Locator (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – There’s locating, and then there’s reuniting.
  • Nip/Tuck (Fx, 10pm) Series Finale – I haven’t watched an episode but I hear the six year run was an uneven but good one.

Thursday

  • The Office (NBC, 9/9:30pm) – Babies apparently take an hour to deliver.
  • The Real Housewives of New York City (Brav, 11pm) Season Premiere – They live in New York and I think they drink and argue.

Friday

  • Who Do You Think You Are (NBC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Genealogy celebrity style.
  • Independent Spirit Awards (IFC, 11pm) – Eddie Izzard hosts.

Saturday

  • Last chance to go out and catch an Oscar nod before they tell you what was the best.

Sunday

  • Barbara Walters Special (ABC, 8:30pm pst) – Barb is cutting this one off after 29 years, because 30 would be too predictable, so tune in for Sandra Bullock and Mo’Nique, note this is before the Oscars East Coast and whenever they end West Coast.
  • Oscars (ABC, 5/5:30pm pst) – Countdown, then the real deal, here’s to winning my Oscar pool…
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/22-2/28

So the Olympics have another week in them, and to get your full fix on curling and hockey check out msnbc, CNBC, and USA.

Monday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating, figure skating, bobsledding; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, ski jumping.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) – It’s the special women tell all edition, will we get some new dirt?

Tuesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Figure skating; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, ski jumping; Speedskating , biathlon, freestyle skiing; Figure skating, bobsledding, skiing.
  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – We’re finally into the semis where people sing a whole song and we can pick out who we hate like, ladies Tuesday, gents Wednesday, and the painfully dragged out results show Thursday.
  • WWE NXT (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – WWE newbies are shown the robes by the veterans.

Wednesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Men’s hockey; Figure skating, bobsledding, skiing; Men’s hockey; Freestyle skiing, bobsledding, speedskating, alpine skiing.
  • Inbetweeners (BBCA, 9:30pm) Season Premiere – The schoolmates get into some fix or another.

Thursday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating; Freestyle skiing, bobsledding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined.
  • Police Women of Maricopa (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Looks like we’re moving from Broward County to Maricopa County, Arizona.

Friday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Figure skating highlights; Figure skating, freestyle skiing, Nordic combined; Men’s hockey; Speedskating, Alpine skiing, bobsledding.
  • NAACP Image Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Tyler Perry gets the Chairman’s Award and lots o’ others are honored.
  • Live From Abbey Road (Sund, 8pm) Season Premiere – Modern stars perform a tribute to the Beatles Abbey Road Album.
  • Four Weddings (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Not three but four weddings are shown.

Saturday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 1/8pm) – Biathlon, snowboarding; Speedskating, Alpine skiing, bobsledding; Speedskating, snowboarding, cross-country skiing; Snowboarding, Alpine skiing, bobsledding, figure skating.

Sunday

  • Olympics (NBC, 1:02am, 12/7/11:35pm) – Snowboarding, Alpine skiing, bobsledding, figure skating; Men’s hockey, cross-country skiing; Closing Ceremony.
  • The Marriage Ref (NBC, 10:30pm) – It’s a ‘preview’ version of the latest from Seinfeld where celebrities judge a couple’s problem.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/15-2/21

For those of you wondering where to catch curling, among other things, additional Olympic coverage can be found on msnbc, CNBC, and USA. Check your local listings or http://www.nbc.com/schedule/ for more info.

Monday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05am, 1/8pm) – Figure skating, freestyle skiing, luge, Alpine skiing; Snowboarding, cross-country-skiing; Figure skating, speedskating, snowboarding.

Tuesday

  • Olympics (12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Luge; Figure skating, speedskating, snowboarding; Biathlon, Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing.
  • Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (USA, 8pm) – Woof.
  • 16 & Pregnant (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – And this week we meet a young girl who is pregnant…

Wednesday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, ) – Luge, Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Cross-country skiing; Snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing.

Thursday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 3/8pm) – Speedskating, luge; Snowboarding, speedskating, Alpine skiing; Snowboarding, biathlon; Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating.
  • LA Ink (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – Apparently there’s a long-standing feud.

Friday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:35/2am, 3/8pm) – Skeleton, biathlon; Figure skating, snowboarding, speedskating; Cross-country skiing; Figure skating, skeleton, Alpine skiing, ski jumping.
  • The Ricky Gervais Show/The Life & Times of Tim/Real Time with Bill Maher/Funny or Die Presents (HBO, 9/9:30/10pm) Series/Season Premiere – Let’s hope this lineup gives some funny starting and ending with some new tricks.
  • Comedy Central Presents (Com, 11/11:30pm) Season Premiere – Tony Rock and Doug Williams perform.

Saturday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12:05/1:30am, 1/8pm) – Awards; Figure skating, skeleton, Alpine skiing, ski jumping;  Freestyle skiing, ski jumping, cross-country skiing; Speedskating, bobsledding, Alpine skiing.

Sunday

  • Olympics (NBC, 12/1am, 12/7/11:35pm) – Speedskating; Speedskating, bobsledding, Alpine skiing; Men’s hockey, freestyle skiing, biathlon; Speedskating, figure skating, skiing, bobsledding; Biathlon.
  • BAFTA Awards (BBCA, 8pm) – Will it be Hurt Locker over Avatar?
  • The Family Crews (BET, 9pm) Series Premiere – Terry Crews of Everybody Hates Chris shares his real-life family.
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new and noteworthy tv: 2/8-2/14

Well the Olympics are kicking off and as always I have to decide how much I want to watch and how much I can take. Noted below are NBC events but there’re plenty of cable selections like msnbc, CNBC, and USA if you want to catch more triumphs, defeats, and heartwarming stories from the cold.

Monday

  • Celebrity Fit Club (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Kevin Federline is the latest of the crop of ‘celebrities’ trying to lose some lbs, though who is watching his kids?

Tuesday

  • Past Life (Fox, 9pm) Series Premiere – Starting here and then hitting regular timeslot on Thursday, I’m willing to give some creative license, but really how many people can help solve crimes from past lives?
  • Jay Leno Show (NBC, 10pm) – Scheduled to clock out of the 10pm hour.

Wednesday

  • Charlie Brown Valentine (ABC, 8pm) – Can’t argue with the classics.
  • Inside Nascar (Show, 10pm) Series Premiere – One can only assume this is like ‘Inside the NFL’.

Thursday

  • Survivor (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Returning competitors are categorized as Heroes and Villains when they hit Samoa for another round.

Friday

  • Olympics (NBC, 7:30pm) – The Opening Ceremonies kick things off in Vancouver with a dash of ski jumping qualifying rounds.
  • Famous Crime Scenes (VH1, 9pm) Series Premiere – Investigations into celebrity deaths, with reenactments and everything.

Saturday

  • Olympics (NBC, 2pm, 8pm) – Speed skating, ski jumping, biathlon, freestyle skiing, and alpine skiing.
  • Survivors (BBCA, 8pm) Series Premiere – Not to be confused with ‘Survivor’, this drama imagines a world where most are wiped out by a deadly virus.

Sunday

  • Olympics (NBC, 1pm, 7pm) – Speed skating, skiing, luge, biathlon, figure skating, freestyle skiing, alpine skiing.
  • The Amazing Race (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Eleven teams kick off the new season starting in LA.
  • Ruby (Style, 8pm) Season Premiere – Highlights include a new therapist and the search for repressed memories as Ruby deals with her food addiction.
  • Tool Academy (VH1, 9pm) Season Premiere – Apparently men aren’t the only tools, this season adds two tool-ettes.
  • How to Make it in America (HBO, 10pm) Series Premiere – In this comedy you can see if these two Brooklyn entrepreneurs make it, prison loans and all.
  • Peak Season (VH1, 11:30pm) Series Premiere – Unscripted twenty somethings, woo hoo.
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groundhog day aka oscar nominations

Well the big ten are here and the only real surprise in Best Picture is The Blind Side. Does that mean I have to go see it?

  • Avatar
  • The Blind Side
  • District 9
  • An Education
  • The Hurt Locker
  • Inglourious Basterds
  • Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire
  • A Serious Man
  • Up
  • Up in the Air

I do try to see the films that are nominated in the major categories (picture, director, actor/actress, screenplay) and so far am doing pretty well. I am at peace with my decision not to see animated films so I’m free on Up. Other than that I’ve been dragging my feet on Invictus, I missed The Messenger and its Netflix release date is still ‘unknown’, and The Last Station isn’t even out yet (um, it’s February).

So who will be the big winner? Avatar and Hurt Locker are tied with nine nominations each, and if you’ve been paying attention you know who I’m rooting for. The Oscars are March 7, so first I need to get objective for my Oscar pool… For the full list of nominations go to: http://oscar.go.com/nominations/nominees

Oh and Punxsutawney Phil did see his shadow so we’re looking at six more weeks of winter. Cold weather is always a nice occasion to see a movie!

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