tv

new and noteworthy tv: 4/11-4/17

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Monday

  • L&O: LA (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – I don’t know why they decided Skeet was the problem, but they’re trying to rework this one, I’m always mildly interested in this franchise.
  • Paranormal State (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – More hauntings.

Tuesday

  • Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Trying to do good things with food while traversing the red tape of the school systems, this is one of the feel good reality shows that I somehow enjoyed.
  • Braxton Family Values/Sinbad (WE, 9/10pm) Series Premiere – More reality following more ‘celebrities.’
  • Deadliest Catch (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – King crab season begins and the business must go on after the loss of the captain.
  • Toya (BET, 10pm) Series Premiere – I’m not even sure if this reality star is supposed to be a ‘celebrity.’
  • Sports Show with Norm Macdonald (Com, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – I believe Norm talks sports

Wednesday

  • Happy Endings (ABC, 9:30/10pm) Series Premiere – Another half hour comedy about couple/friends, this one doesn’t look particularly funnier than the rest of the rest but worth a shot.

Thursday

  • The Paul Reiser Show (NBC, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – This is one of those real life person plays a version of themselves in a comedy series, not sure the Mad About You jokes will be all that funny but we’ll see what he’s got.

Friday

  • Friday Night Lights (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – I’m still on season 2…
  • Hooked (NGC, 9pm) Series Premiere – A fishing show.
  • Killer Outbreaks (AnPl, 9pm) Series Premiere – A look at doctors and scientists looking at pathogens.
  • The Whitest Kids u’Know (IFC, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – More sketch comedy.

Saturday

  • Parking Wars (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – People really aren’t happy about tickets, towing and getting the boot.

Sunday

  • Mob Wives/Audrina/Saddle Ranch (VH1, 8/9/9:30pm) Series Premieres – Connected, reality professionals, and more wannabes.
  • Burn Notice (USA, 9pm) – A prequel to the series gives a look at the fall of Sam Axe, I like Sam on this series so hope it’s entertaining.
  • Game of Thrones (HBO, 9pm) Series Premiere – Adaptation of some fantasy books the series is supposed to be good, though I don’t get HBO.
  • Inspector America (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Infrastructure safety inspector inspects across America.
  • TV Land Awards (TVL, 10:30pm) – Casts reuniting include Family Ties, Cosby Show, and The Facts of Life.
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new and noteworthy tv: 4/4-4/10

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I’ve been letting my shows get a little backed up, though I have been making time for reruns of Veronica Mars and Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Netflix…

Monday

  • NCAA Men’s Championship (CBS, 9pm) – I think this might be the end.
  • Kidnapped by the Kids (OWN, 9pm) Series Premiere – Workaholics spend some quality time with their kids.
  • Relapse (A&E, 9pm) Series Premiere – Like Addiction except they’re in relapse after detoxing.
  • Rob Dyrdek’s Fantasy Factory (MTV, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – The Beiber stops by.
  • WWE Tough Enough (USA, 11:05pm) Season Premiere – Steve Austin hosts a new crop of competitors.

Tuesday

  • Addicted to Food (OWN, 10pm) Series Premiere – Following folks trying to overcome food addiction for 42 days in a treatment facility.
  • Auction Hunters (Spike, 10pm) Season Premiere – More auctiony items.
  • Pregnant in Heels (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – So maternity concierge is a title, and you get to see what they do.

Wednesday

  • Extreme Couponing (TLC, 9pm) Series Premiere – I love a good coupon, I just don’t want to spend more time trying to save money than it would take me to actually earn it at a job.
  • Mythbusters (Disc, 9pm) Season Premiere – Firearms, misdirection… what myths will they debunk or prove?
  • Breaking In (Fox, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – I always like high-tech security premise let’s see if Christian Slater and the kid from Reaper entertain.
  • Glamour Belles (Life, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at a pageant dress shop, I didn’t realize there was such a thing, clearly I’m not watching the right reality.
  • Tori & Dean (Oxy, 10pm) Series Premiere – I don’t know that it really counts as a new series when reality stars do yet another slant on their lives.
  • Workaholics (Com, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Apparently the title is supposed to be funny because it’s about pot head slackers.
  • Top Chef Masters (Brav, 11pm) Season Premiere – Curtis Stone is a new host and Ruth Reichl is a new judge.

Thursday

  • Police Women/Unleashed (TLC, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Police women and then a K-9 unit.
  • Bear Whisperer (AnPl, 10pm) Season Premiere – A wild life specialist and of course bears.
  • Mounted in Alaska (Hist, 10pm) Series Premiere – Taxidermy anyone?
  • America’s Best Dance Crew (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – New crews compete.
  • The Real Housewives of NYC (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – I guess there’s a new one who is more normal, relatively speaking I assume.
  • Secret Diary of a Call Girl/Gigolos (Show, 10:30/11) Season/Series Premieres – The return of the series about a call girl and then real life paid male escorts.

Friday

  • The Singing Bee/CMT’s Next Superstar (CMT, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premieres – Competing with karaoke and then just country music.
  • Tiger Man of Africa (NGC, 10pm) Series Premiere – A look at a tiger sanctuary.

Saturday

  • It’s Me or the Dog (AnPl, 8pm) Season Premiere – I wonder if the answer to that question is the dog.

Sunday

  • Human Planet (Disc, 8pm) Series Premiere – How people live in various regions.
  • Upstairs Downstairs (PBS, 9pm) Miniseries Premiere – A revamp of turn of the century London masters and servants.
  • The Judds (OWN, 9pm) Series Premiere – Naomi and Wynonna do some stuff and you can watch them.
  • Shark Men (NGC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Men who look for or look at sharks.
  • Khloe & Lamar/The Dance Scene (E!, 10/10:30pm) Series Premieres – The latest version of Kardashian reality and then dancers train with a choreographer for fancy dance jobs.
  • River Monsters (AnPl, 10pm) Season Premiere – What river creature will they find in Papua New Guinea?

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 3/28-4/3

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And I think this might be the final week of the final four…

Monday

  • All Together Now (NBC, 8pm) – A celebration of service with presidents and whatnot.
  • The Secret Life of the American Teenager/Make It or Break It (ABCFam, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Not sure how secret it is and whether they’ve made it or broken it yet.
  • Nurse Jackie/United States of Tara (Show, 10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – As I’m Showtime free I’ll be tempted to check these both on dvr at some point.

Tuesday

  • Body of Proof (ABC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Brilliant neurosurgeon forced to turn medical examiner, could be case of the week which always depends on personality and Dana Delany could theoretically make it worthwhile.
  • All on the Line (Sund, 10pm) Series Premiere – Can failing fashion lines be saved?
  • What the Sell (TLC, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another take on the pawn shop personalities and stuff.

Wednesday

  • The Ultimate Fighter/Coal (Spike, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – More fighting and then a look at coal miners.
  • South Beach Classics (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Car classics that is.
  • Tyler Perry’s House of Payne (TBS, 10pm) Season Premiere – Tyler continues his reign on entertainment.

Thursday

  • Mobbed (Fox, 9pm) – This take on a new series showcases flash mobs, groups of folks breaking out into song/dance.
  • Swamp People (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – No it’s not a monster movie, unless you count the gators that the folks live among.
  • True Crime with Aphrodite Jones (ID, 10pm) Season Premiere – The season starts with another look at JonBenet Ramsey.

Friday

  • Chaos (CBS, 8pm) Series Premiere – Rogue funny CIA? I’m tempted by this but it admittedly looks dumb.
  • Say Yes to the Dress: Randy Knows Best (TLC, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – I believe there’s a Yes to the Dress out there so I guess this is Randy’s slant.
  • Camelot (Starz, 10pm) Series Premiere – Same story different take, ok maybe not so different.
  • The Haunted (AnPl, 10pm) Season Premiere – Things with ghosts I suppose.

Saturday

  • Sony Ericsson Open (CBS, 9:30am) – The series starts its wraps up today with women’s finals with the men’s finals Sunday.
  • How Do I Look? (Style, 8pm) Season Premiere – I’m going to say starts looking bad and gets better…
  • Curb Appeal (HGTV, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – Spruce up a house.
  • My Ghost Story (Bio, 10pm) Season Premiere – More hauntings of the personal nature?

Sunday

  • Wild Kingdom (AnPl, 7pm) Season Premiere – Kicking off with a look at otters.
  • Academy of Country Music Awards (CBS, 8pm) – Reba MacEntire and Blake Shelton host.
  • The Kennedys (Reelz, 8pm) Mini series Premiere – Katie Holmes and Greg Kinnear finally found an air date.
  • The Borgias (Show, 9pm) Series Premiere – Jeremy Irons takes the title role in this kick off of soapy period drama.
  • The Killing (AMC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Adaptation of a Danish crime drama looking at a crime from multiple points of view.
  • Last Cake Standing (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Let the caking begin.
  • Strange Sex (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – A look at sexual things of the irregular.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 3/21-3/27

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I really could start reading more with this lineup of new shows…

Monday

  • Dancing with the Stars (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Kirstie Alley and Ralph Macchio are two of the people I’ve heard of.
  • American Pickers (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Friends travel round looking for yard sales and whatnot.
  • Southern Fried Stings (Tru, 10pm) Season Premiere – Tracking down troublemakers.

Tuesday

  • Best in Film (ABC, 9pm) – The best film ever made?
  • Big Brian (Tru, 10pm) Series Premiere – An estate sale supervisor looks for good stuff.
  • The Fabulous Beekman Boys (PlGr, 10pm) Season Premiere – The gents return with their farm.
  • Marcel’s Quantum Kitchen (Syfy, 10pm) Series Premiere – One of the former Top Chef contestants does something in the kitchen.

Wednesday

  • Fact or Faked (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – Haunted schmaunted.

Thursday

  • Hard Times of RJ Berger (MTV, 11pm) Season Premiere – Another season of… ok I don’t really know more than this show is about a well endowed but awkward teen.
  • John Oliver’s New York Stand-up (Com, 11:59pm) Season Premiere – I’d say that someone named John Oliver hosts Stand-up in New York.

Friday

  • Shark Tank (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Inventions with potential, and with mocking, return.

Saturday

  • NCAA Basketball (Various) – It looks like regional finals are on, but not entirely sure when final, finals are, good thing I didn’t join the pool.

Sunday

  • Mildred Pierce (HBO, 9pm) Mini-series Premiere – Kate Winslet plays the lead in this depression era adaptation.
  • Amazing Wedding Cakes (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t know that I’d really do a theme wedding cake…

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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the new american idol

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It’s a new season and a lot has changed, but how much has really changed?

Idol began with a great formula of funny personalities, train wrecks of performance, and enough actual talent to make you care. Unfortunately after we lost Paula, we realized how lucky they were with the initial judges. Paula may have been ‘the nice one’ but she was enough of a wild card that she was entertaining about it. Simon could be a prick but he was an amusing one and he was often the most insightful in calling out what we were all thinking in an amusingly insulting way. And Randy, well nobody could call out a ‘that was a little pitchy dawg’ like Randy.

So ignoring the transition judges, how are the new kids? Well they all seem to have a decent dynamic, get along, engage with each other and all that. Randy has stepped up to Simon’s chair and with it apparently the responsibility to tell it like it is. Unfortunately he’s not quite as critical and not quite as caustic and when a bunch of people are just fine I prefer a someone a little more perceptive and a little more funny. JLo and Steven Tyler have split up the Paula persona with enough nice to go around and although Steven is taking on a bit of the wild card I’m not sure it’s enough. Time will tell of course, they’re really just starting the live critiques of people who require more than a yay or nay.

What else has changed?

  • The contestants are younger. Who cares. Though there might be one or two of the new kids who wouldn’t have been eligible I think for the most part they could come back next year and I wouldn’t miss them.
  • Condensed semis. Potentially a good idea. The winnowing down period that is almost like the finals, but not, dragged on for quite a while with week after week of bad performances, but now one off night might mean the wrong finalists (though the dragging on process didn’t guarantee the right ones either).
  • No more guest mentors. Thank gawd. Hanging with random artists and random critiques didn’t bring much, so hearing from A&M record’s Jimmy Lovine might give some real world feedback and his enlisted producers might help each of the arrangements work a little better, overall more entertaining, maybe not.
  • Less extreme theme weeks. The jury is out. The more extreme themes (show tunes, country, etc.) brought out the worst in some of the singers who would never in reality be the kind of ‘artist’ who would sing such a thing, but it was sometimes illuminating to see how folks could handle a variety of material and ‘make it their own’ and also good for some bad performances.

And so who’s the next American Idol? The dudes are rocking it and although every year gives the option of a dark horse, I’m hoping red beard Casey, who seems to be talented and entertaining, can keep it going, and keep out of the hospital (ulcer?). I’m also keeping an eye on metalesque James and won’t count out belt it out Jacob and country boy Scotty.

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new and noteworthy tv: 3/14-3/20

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Aside from some new reality there’s also tons of NCAA basketball which I figured sports enthusiasts knew where all the games were.

Monday

  • Wedding Wars/Beverly Hills Fabulous (VH1, 9/10pm) Series Premieres – Couple compete and then spend time with a salon.
  • Meat & Potatoes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – A look at some all-American meat.

Tuesday

  • Roast of Donald Trump (Com, 10:30) – Let the hair jokes fly.
  • Four of a Kind (Life, 11pm) Series Premiere – Following 17 year old quadruplets.

Wednesday

  • Deathwish Movers (Trav, 10pm) Series Premiere – Moving in Boston isn’t always easy.
  • Storage Wars (A&E, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Will winning be worth it?

Thursday

  • Blonde vs Bear (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – Bear protector tries to keep it less confrontational.
  • Manhunters (A&E, 10pm) Season Premiere – The fugitive task force kicks in.

Friday

  • Supernanny (ABC, 8pm) Series Finale – Before she hangs up her hat can she help one more family.

Saturday

  • The Pee-Wee Herman Show on Broadway (HBO, 10pm) – I know you are but what am I?

Sunday

  • Big Love (HBO, 9pm) Series Finale – Season one is in my queue.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 3/7-3/13

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The new TiVo is working out nicely, and with all the storage room I feel compelled to record more new stuff, bring me new stuff!

Monday

  • Too Fat for 15 (Style, 8pm) Season Premiere – Something about kids losing weight…
  • Greek (ABCFam, 9pm) Series Finale – I actually enjoyed this slightly more upscale campy college show, though ending a season before half of the cast graduated and stuck around might have made more sense.
  • All About Aubrey (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – Yet another show following yet another person I don’t care about.
  • Stargate Universe (Syfy, 10pm) Season Premiere – The final season of this version of Stargate kicks off.

Tuesday

  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) Season Finale – I don’t normally list season finales but there’s nothing much else on tonight, except of course the return of Gwyneth on Glee, but really is that noteworthy?

Wednesday

  • Nothing Personal (ID, 10pm) Series Premiere – Because no category will remain uncovered in the look at crimes, crime for hire.
  • The Real World (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Vegas baby.

Thursday

  • Fierce Funny Women (Show, 8:30pm) – Let the ladies make you laugh with some women I’ve never heard of, yet I’m sure.

Friday

  • Fish Warrior (NGC, 8pm) Season Premiere – Not sure if the fish is the warrior or someone is a warrior for or against fish…

Saturday

  • Rascal Flatts (ABC, 9pm) – Natasha Bedingfield and Justin Beiber make guest appearances if they weren’t a big enough draw for you.

Sunday

  • Sister Wives (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – So did they ever pursue the criminal charges on these real life polygamists?

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 2/28-3/6

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The TiVo is hooked up! Though looks like nothing new to add here…

Monday

  • Anthony Bourdain (Trav, 9pm) Season Premiere – A visit to Haiti following the earthquake.
  • Bethenny Ever After (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – More of her.

Tuesday

  • Cuff Me If You Can (ID, 7pm) Series Premiere – A look at folks who avoided arrest.

Wednesday

  • I’m Alive (AnPl, 7pm) Season Premiere – I assume there’s a reason why folks might not have been alive.
  • Hoarding: Buried Alive (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – More piles, and piles, and piles of stuff.

Thursday

  • Ice Brigade (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Following a team of ice sculptors.

Friday

  • NAACP Image Awards (Fox, 8pm) – Wayne Brady and Holly Robinson Peete host.
  • Beast Hunter (NGC, 9pm) Series Premiere – Hunting for beasts.
  • American Loggers (Disc, 10pm) Season Premiere – Logging in America.

Saturday

  • Bellator Fighting Championships (MTV2, 9pm) Season Premiere – I could look up what Bellator is…

Sunday

  • Taking on Tyson (AnPl, 7pm) Series Premiere – Tyson returns to his home neighborhood with a focus on pigeon racing.
  • America’s Next Great Restaurant/The Apprentice (NBC, 8/9pm) Series/Season Premieres – May the food be better than the concepts, and may the crazy ‘celebrities’ entertain.
  • Secret Millionaire (ABC, 8pm) Series Premiere – A millionaire works alongside others and then I believe gives some money.
  • Ruby (Style, 8pm) Season Premiere – Ruby looks at her relationships.
  • Army Wives/Coming Home (Life, 9/10pm) Season/Series Premiere – Fictional army folks, then real life military come home.
  • Love & Hip Hop (VH1, 9pm) Series Premiere – More wives, these ones are in music.
  • Breakout Kings (A&E, 10pm) Series Premiere – A new series where US Marshalls hire convicts to help catch escapees.
  • The Real Housewives of Orange County (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – And more of them…

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 2/21-2/27

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Here’s hoping to win my Oscar pool…

Monday

  • BET Honors (BET, 9pm) – Gabrielle Union hosts the tribute.
  • Outrageous Kids Parties (TLC, 9:30pm) Series Premiere – It’s bad enough to see adults living over the top.

Tuesday

  • American Treasures (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – An anthropologist and an archaeologist appraise treasures.
  • The Real Housewives of Miami (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – Could there be more drama in Miami?

Wednesday

  • ANTM/Shedding for the Wedding (CW, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premiere – I am torn about another season of the models to be, but not torn at all about watching couples compete.
  • Ghost Hunters (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – Could the hunters possibly not be done hunting?

Thursday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm) – The judges unveil the top 20 semifinalists.

Friday

  • DC Cupcakes (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – More attempts at spectacular cupcakes.

Saturday

  • Secrets from a Stylist/The Antonio Treatment (HGTV, 9/9:30pm) Series/Season Premiere – More styley room makeovers.
  • Independent Spirit Awards (IFC, 7pm) – Joel McHale hosts.

Sunday

  • The Academy Awards (ABC, 4/5:30pm) – Find out who will be the best dressed, and who will win best pic.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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new and noteworthy tv: 2/14-2/20

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Progress continues to be made to get my dvr content down… but still not quite TiVo ready.

Monday

  • Searching For… (OWN, 6pm) Series Premiere – Birth mother, blah, blah, blah…
  • Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show (USA, 8pm, also showing Tuesday) – Who doesn’t dig a good dog show?
  • Mad Love (CBS, 8:30pm) Series Premiere – Sarah Chalke and Jason Biggs lead another round of couples comedy, I keep watching until one of them sticks.

Tuesday

  • Jump City (G4, 8pm) Series Premiere – Parkour anyone?
  • Breaking Down the Bars/Our America with Lisa Ling (OWN, 6/7pm) Series Premieres – Following women behind bars and following Lisa Ling checking things out starting with faith healers.
  • Crimes Against Nature (NatGeo, 10pm) Series Premiere – Starting with illegal ivory.
  • Hardcore Pawn (Tru, 10pm) Season Premiere – More pawning.

Wednesday

  • Survivor/Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior (CBS, 8/10pm) Season/Series Premieres – More surviving and another spin-off, this one has Forest Whitaker leading the hunt for creepy killers (I can barely take the original but will at least check out the first).
  • Approval Matrix (Brav, 11pm) Series Premiere – Chatting about pop culture and happenings hosted by Faith Salie.

Thursday

  • Sins and Secrets (ID, 7pm) Series Premiere – A look at how crime impacts a community.
  • Man vs. Wild/Out of the Wild (Disc, 9/10pm) Season Premieres – Hasn’t Bear survived everything already, then more folks trekking from someplace to someplace.

Friday

  • The Injustice Files (ID, 6pm) Series Premiere – These cold cases go all the way back to the Civil War.

Saturday

  • Being Human (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – I don’t get BBC otherwise I’d be tempted to watch a bit of the original to see how it compares to the US version, I guess I could dvd the first one.

Sunday

  • The Amazing Race (CBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Another round of repeat participants, will they blow it again?
  • Secret Service Files (NGC, 8pm) Series Premiere – Like Cops but more secret, until now…
  • SNL Just Commercials/Backstage (NBC, 8/9pm) – Ads and then some behind the scenes.

The procrastinator lists items that may not be on your regular season pass, though notation does not imply recommendation other than those underlined. Times noted are typically PST.

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