next week 9/8

New and notable in the week ahead, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Terminator: SCC (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Sarah and her son John moving in time to try to stop things before they go awry, and stay alive, though the leads are both a little stiff, as the supporting cast and stories were developed so was the interest (though I might have to lose it in this time slot against GGirl and Chuck).
  • CMA Music Festival (ABC, 9pm) – Fans and country stars are shown from this four day music festival.
  • Dr 90210 (E, 10pm) Season Premiere – This reality follows a doctor in Beverly Hills I assume.

Tuesday

  • Fringe (Fox, 8pm-replays Sun) Series Premiere – 95 minute start of the JJ Abrams series (Lost, Alias, Felicity) brings us what’s being most closely compared to the X-files, as an FBI agent investigates “phenomena” with the help of old science guy and son (Dawson Creek’s Joshua Jackson).
  • Privileged (CW, 9pm-replays Sun) Series Premiere – Cute Joanna Garcia (Reba) is introduced to the world of the spoiled as a live in tutor.
  • Fashion Rocks (CBS, 9pm) – Denis Leary hosts this mix of fashionable rockers and rocking fashions.
  • The Rachel Zoe Project (Bravo, 11pm-repeats) Series Premiere – Follow real life celebrity fashion stylist and her posse as they style the celebrities.

Wednesday

  • Greatest American Dog (CBS, 8pm) Season Finale – The final three dogs compete, and I admit that I’ve dropped off this show but the difference in dog’s (and owners) performance on the different kinds of challenges was fun to see.
  • ‘Til Death (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – This Brad Garrett and others show about two couples, one jaded, one not, has never made it to my watched list.
  • Do Not Disturb (Fox, 9:30pm) Series Premiere -Jerry O’Connell plays the general manager of this hip hotel with apparent staff shenanigans.
  • Real World/Road Rules Challenge (MTV, 10pm-repeats) Season Premiere – I honestly don’t think I’ve ever seen this show which starts its 16th season of competition.

Thursday

  • MTV’s Top Pop Group (MTV, 10pm-repeats) Series Premiere – Music acts compete as Mario Lopez hosts.
  • Comics Without Borders (Show, 10pm-repeats) Series Premiere – This looks like a standup comedy showcase.

Friday

  • 2008 Alma Awards (ABC, 8pm) – Eva Longoria Parker hosts the Latino Awards with recipients like America Ferrera
  • Don’t Forget the Lyrics (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – And the lyric singing continues.

Saturday

  • Action Sports (Sat/Sun NBC, USA) – The Toyota Challenge takes us to Salt Lake City as the guys get closer to winning the Dew Cup my favorite is still the vert skate and though Bucky’s in the lead it’s anyone’s game.
  • Coco Chanel (Life, 8pm) – Shirley MacLaine plays fashion icon Chanel in this tv movie of her life.
  • MADtv (Fox, 11pm) Season Premiere – Jerry O’Connell guests as this skit series returns.
  • SNL (NBC, 11:30) Season Premiere – Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps hosts and hopefully doesn’t embarrass himself with Lil Wayne performing.

Sunday

  • Catch up on tivo or replays of premieres of Fringe and Privileged, I love when they replay starters to give you some time to catch before you settle into a season.
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more fall fun

So some folks were asking about shows that they know I watch but weren’t listed in Fall Favorites… By now folks know I watch and enjoy more shows than a person probably should. In addition to previously noted favorites Bones, Chuck, Dirty Sexy Money, Gossip Girl, Heroes, The Office, Pushing Daisies, and 30 Rock, there are a few other returning shows that typically hit my tivo:

  • America’s Next Top Model (CW, Wed 9/3 ) – Yes Tyra is annoying but it’s not really about her, it’s about the annoying wannabe models and this year they promise a transgender contestant.
  • Big Bang Theory (CBS, Mon 9/22) – I don’t love this show but Sheldon makes me laugh enough, and Darlene is joining her Roseanne boyfriend as a regular this season.
  • Brothers & Sisters (ABC, Sun, 9/28) – I almost don’t even like this show but I can’t help but tune in to see what mess the Walker family is getting into and this season we should see the real illegitimate half sibling.
  • Criminal Minds (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I usually actually only catch this special FBi unit cathing the brutal serial killer of the week show in repeats.
  • Eli Stone (ABC, Tues 10/14) – This quirky guy with visions that may be leading him along won me over, but did we really leave him in a coma after an operation?
  • Grey’s Anatomy (ABC, Thurs 9/25) – Yes Grey herself is totally annoying but maybe as she theoretically sticks with McDreamy this season we can focus on the rest of the good supporting cast.
  • House (Fox, Tues 9/16) – Last year’s shakeup to cranky House’s team gave him some new fodder, though they didn’t find a good balance yet of old and new, and what of best bro after his girlie’s death?
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show still has a lot of hilarity, though I don’t care how he met the mother, or whether it is or isn’t Sarah Chalke.
  • Law & Order (NBC, midseason) – I dropped this for a few years but found myself tuning back in this last season as the current ensemble seems to be working.
  • Law & Order: SVU (NBC, Tues 9/23) – I know this show is all about Stabler and Benson but I don’t love them, though I keep tuning in, this is the one with the sex crime slant.
  • Life (NBC, Mon 9/29) – This detective back on the force after being falsely accused amused and interested with his oddball antics though not so much on the conspiracy of his conviction.
  • Lost (ABC, midseason) – Well I loved the start of last season but at the end of the day was a little underwhelmed by the Oceanic 6 getting off and having to go back, this season starts a new chapter, I’m very curious and definitely still in.
  • My Name is Earl (NBC, Thurs 9/25) – I am still amused enough by Earl and his trashy family getting his karma back in line, though bored by the coma version of Earl and the normally likable Alyssa Milano.
  • The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS, Wed 9/24) – I still think this is a great role for Dreyfus to do broad funny as an crazy and awkward single mom with her misfit family.
  • Numbers (CBS, Fri 10/3) – This isn’t a great procedural but the interplay between FBI and math genius brothers solving cases works, though math brother just lost his credentials, whatever will they do.
  • Reaper (CW, midseason) – This show started strong last season and almost lost me with its capture of the week but the devil’s bounty hunter and friends found a new rhythm by introducing some additional intrigue, and the devil is fantastic.
  • Samantha Who? (ABC, Mon 10/6) – Applegate is winning as her post amnesia persona tries to marry her old bad ways with her new clean slate.
  • Scrubs (ABC, midseason) – I was surprised by the network move though I think this show has a great cast and good balance of silly fun, though we’ll see how well they transition to the predicted new young cast additions.
  • Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, Mon 9/8) – This show grew on me as the cast and intrigue were better developed while Sarah and her son John try to change the future by jumping years with the help of hot chick terminator Summer Glau.
  • Two and a Half Men (CBS, Mon 9/22) – This show’s lost its edge a bit for me as the brothers work their odd couple dynamic with lazy kid getting less cute as he grows up, but there are still some good laughs.

And before you ask, current cable faves include: Battlestar Galactica (behind but catching on dvd), Breaking Bad, Burn Notice, The Closer, Dexter (dvd), Eureka, Flight of the Conchords, Greek, Project Runway, The Riches (yet to be renewed), and Saving Grace.

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next week 8/4

New and notable in the week ahead…

Monday

  • Teen Choice Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Miley Cyrus is hosting this year and as I understand it is having a dance off with her crew but has rejected the offer of a girl kiss.
  • I Want to Work for Diddy (VH1, 9pm) Series Premiere – Diddy is adding to his television empire.
  • Nashville Star (NBC, 10pm) Season Finale – I’m torn between the hispanic country guy with a great twang and the big voiced mom though overall better talent than AI, not that I actually listen to country music, oh and that Billy Ray Cyrus is maybe the stiffest host I’ve seen in my life.
  • New York Goes to Hollywood (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – I Love New York didn’t make her a big enough celebrity so now she’s conquering Hollywood, or not.
  • Luke’s Parental Advisory (VH1, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Luke Campbell is family man and rowdy rap mogul.

Tuesday

  • Million Dollar Listing (Bravo, 11pm) Series Premiere – Follow a sale from listing to close with undoubtedly some personalities.

Wednesday

  • Hard Knocks (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – Training camp with the Dallas Cowboys returns.
  • Man vs. Wild (Dsc, 10pm) Season Premiere – Bear hits the Mexican desert and faces off with the elements, and bees.

Thursday

  • Last Comic Standing (NBC, 8pm) Season Finale – Let’s hope this one’s funny.
  • So You Think You Can Dance (Fox, 8pm) Season Finale – The final dancer is picked, and the Jonas Brothers perform.
  • Bill Engvall Show/My Boys (TBS, 9/9:30/10pm) Season Finales – Hijinks and humor as the seasons wrap.
  • Hopkins (ABC, 10pm) Season Finale – And the folks at the hospital keep doing what they do.

Friday

  • Summer Olympics (NBC, 8pm 7:30pm) – The opening ceremony kicks off the NBC coverage though soccer starts the previous Wed on MSNBC, additional coverage on CNBC, USA and some Oxygen and goes for three weeks of the world’s finest in sports.

Saturday

  • Damages (Fx, 7am) Marathon – In case you missed out on all or part of this first season you can catch the full 13 episode season marathon.
  • Primeval (BBC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Rips in the fabric of time seem to let prehistoric critters loose so evolutionary zoologist and his team are on it.

Sunday

  • Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, 9pm) – Catch up on last season’s show that grew on me with a different ep Sunday through Wed at 9, starting with the pilot.
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next week 3/3

Monday

  • Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox, 8-10pm) Season Finale – I have to say I am still not in love with Sarah or John but still find this show pretty interesting with the past, present, and future and what the right thing to do is.

Tuesday

  • New Amsterdam (Fox, 8pm) Series Debut – So some immortal guy is looking for his true love while fighting crime of course.
  • Carpoolers (ABC, 9:30) Season Finale – This is the show about four guys who… carpool, with Jerry O’Connell, and I find it almost funny.
  • The Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo, 11pm) Series Premiere – For those of you who just couldn’t get enough of the Real Housewives of Orange County.

Wednesday

  • Project Runway (Bravo, 10pm) Season Finale – Who will have the finest collection? Ok, I’m still like four episodes behind.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Rehab With Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) Season Finale – Addiction isn’t always pretty, but I’m addicted to this show, which actually surprised me with how much I thought this show was a bad idea but these ‘celebrities’ were shown as real people with real issues.

Friday

  • Stargate Atlantis (SciFi, 10pm) Season Finale – I think I’ve seen at least some sort of Stargate… I don’t know if this is underwater?

Saturday

  • Beach Volleyball (Kron, 9pm) – AVP Crocs Hot Winter Nights tour and I do love me some good beach volleyball.

Sunday

  • The Wire (HBO, 9pm) Series Finale – Well this is it for the series and I know some obsessive folks who are bummed about that, and some folks who still aren’t caught up on the dvds so they won’t really appreciate the loss for a while.
  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Season Finale – Well I am behind on these as well but wanna stick through and see what other ridiculous things these drug guys are into.
  • My Fair Brady (VH1, 10:30pm) Season Finale – I’m just noting this because I know someone who watches this show.
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next week 1/14

Monday

  • Terminator (Fox, 9pm) – We’re settling into the regular timeslot and since I probably won’t have watched Sunday’s pilot I’ll plan to tivo this too whether it’s watchable or not, oh who am I kidding with the strike my bar is pretty low.

Tuesday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) Season Premiere – Starting it’s Tuesday and Wednesday runs at the early auditions, is my bar this low? I actually watched this for the first few seasons and then new people couldn’t make this show fresh enough for me.

Wednesday

  • Reno 911! (Comedy, 10:30) Season Premiere – I don’t get this channel and I’ve never seen this show, but some of these updates are going to start getting a little more arbitrary, so here’s Season 5.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr Drew (VH1, 10pm) – The first of this started last week, and they’re rerunning it maybe every day if you missed it, I am a little bit morally opposed to this show and have no idea whether it’s entertaining or not but some ‘celebrities’ might get some help.

Friday

  • Moonlight (CBS, 9pm) – Maybe I’ll give this show another shot, though I found it a bad version of Angel the first time around.

Saturday

  • Husband for Hire (Oxygen, 9pm) – What have Erik Estrada and Tempest Bledsoe been up to, apparently this made for tv movie.

Sunday

  • Breaking Bad (AMC, 10pm) Series Premeire – Bryan Cranston is a  high school chemistry teacher who makes some questionable choices once he’s diagnosed with cancer.
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