tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/15-2/21

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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

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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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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 2/1-2/7

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A smattering of new things coming up this week, but what everyone is really focused on is Lost. Since they’ve tortured us with weirdness for the last five seasons… if I’ve come this far I’m going to finish it out even if I have to do it kicking and screaming. Oh and of course the Super Bowl, go team!

Monday

  • The BET Honors (BET, 9pm) – I think honors are sort of like awards…
  • Rupaul’s Drag Race (Logo, 9pm) Season Premiere – A new crop of ladies (?) compete.
  • Kell on Earth (Brav, 10pm) Series Premiere – And yet there are more ‘real’ people to follow around.
  • Secret Diary of a Call Girl (Show, 10pm) Season Premiere – Belle is apparently attending her book release party.
  • Ultimate Cake Off (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – This isn’t just any cake off, it’s the ultimate.

Tuesday

  • Nomination Announcement of the 82nd Academy Awards (ABC, 8:30am) – This year they’re nominating 10 for best pic, so get ready to hit the theaters.
  • Lost (ABC, 8/9pm) Special/Season Premiere – First they try to catch you up, that’s really only for the people who have been watching, if you haven’t been watching there is no catching up for the final season, then we see whether they answer any questions, smoke monster anyone?
  • 19 Kids & Counting (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – The Duggars continue to show off their brood.
  • The Michael Vick Project (BET, 10pm) Series Premiere – Hmm, this is the guy who got arrested for dog fighting?

Wednesday

  • Super Bowl’s Greatest Commercials (CBS, 8pm) – A little history on the real reason people watch the Super Bowl.
  • Shear Genius (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – This would be the reality competition show where they… cut hair!

Thursday

  • Important Things with Demetri Martin/The Sarah Silverman Program (Com, 10/10:30pm) Season Premiere – I’m sure they both have important things to entertain with.

Friday

  • Smallville (CW, 8pm) – With no more Dollhouse to catch I suppose one could turn to back-to-back episodes, I’m sure Clark will save someone or something.

Saturday

  • Action Sports (NBC, 9am) – The Alli Winter Dew Tour brings the Toyota Championship from Mt. Snow, Vt.
  • AKC/Eukanuba National Championship (AnPl, 8pm) – Can’t wait ’til Westminster?

Sunday

  • Super Bowl (CBS, 3pm pst) – Saints vs. Colts and an ice cold beer.
  • Undercover Boss (CBS, 10pm) – Will the bosses learn a valuable lesson doing the jobs of their employees?
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new and noteworthy tv: 1/25-1/31

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Monday

  • Top Gear/Inbetweeners (BBCA, 8/9pm) Season/Series Premiere – Real life hosts race from London to Edinburgh then fictional teens entertain with school hijinks.
  • Damages (FX, 10pm) Season Premiere – Lawyerly drama.
  • Greek (ABCFam, 10pm) Season Premiere – What will the gang get up to this season?
  • State of the Union/La La Land (Show, 10/10:30/11pm) Season/Series Premiere – Tracy Ullman and Marc Wootten get their characters on.

Tuesday

  • 24/7 (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – NASCAR driver Jimmie Johnson and his team prepare for the Daytona 500.

Wednesday

  • State of the Union (Various, 6pm pst) – Obama may offer hope, or change.
  • Psych (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Shawn tackles soldierly intrigue.

Thursday

  • Live for the Moment (CBS, 8pm) – Jeff Probst hosts something inspiring.
  • America’s Best Dance Crew/Taking the Stage (MTV, 10/11pm) Season Premiere – Crews and skillz dawg.

Friday

  • Dollhouse/Kitchen Nightmares (Fox, 8/9pm) Series Finale/Season Premiere – End of the world? End of a kitchen?

Saturday

  • Miss America/Four Weddings (TLC, 8/10pm) Special Presentation/Series Premiere – What more could there be to learn on the learning channel?

Sunday

  • Grammys (CBS, 8pm) – Music and awards and whatnot.
  • SNL Sports Extra (NBC, 9pm) – Sports for the rest of us.
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tv

new and noteworthy tv: 1/18-1/24

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Midseason is rolling right out… procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Life Unexpected (CW, 9pm, repeats Wed 8pm) Series Premiere – Given up for adoption Lux returns to find her birth parents and witty and adorable interactions are reported to ensue.
  • American Pickers (Hist, 9pm) Series Premiere – Two friends travel cross country in search of collectibles, garage sales, yard sales, barns…
  • The Buried Life/My Life As Liz (MTV, 10/10:30pm) Series Premieres – The latest reality installments follow a group trying to make their dreams, and maybe those of others, come true and then a teenager from Texas trying to ‘find herself.’
  • Be Good Johnny Weir (Sund, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – Is Weir as sparkly when he’s not performing as a figure skater, we shall soon see.

Tuesday

  • Millionaire Matchmaker (Brav, 10pm) Season Premiere – She tells you what she thinks but do any of the couples really work it out, maybe that’s not really the point.
  • White Collar (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Cute criminal helping out the good guys is back.
  • Paranormal Cops (A&E, 10:30pm) Series Premiere – I’m not sure if anything paranormal actually gets cuffed.
  • Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel (HBO, 10pm) Season Premiere – Football concussions, a golfer who lost a let, and more.

Wednesday

  • Being Erica (Soap, 10pm) Season Premiere – So her therapist lets her time travel to change things?
  • Toddlers & Tiaras (TLC, 10pm) Season Premiere – I don’t think this requires much explanation.

Thursday

  • The Deep End (ABC, 8pm, repeats Sat 9pm) Series Premiere – More soapy young lawyers, they’re pairing it and comparing it to Grey’s if that give you any idea of tone, worth a look.
  • Burn Notice (USA, 10pm) Season Premiere – Michael Weston, the MacGyver-y ex-spy is back in business.

Friday

  • Hope for Haiti (Various, 8pm) – A fundraiser for Haiti, please check local listings as many shows are rescheduled or postponed, Dollhouse series finale currently set for next Friday.
  • Caprica (Syfy, 9pm) Series Premiere – The Battlestar prequel may not require BSG watching but you can bet fans will be tuning in.
  • Friday Night With Jonathan Ross (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Another nighttime talk show, who could ask for more.
  • Cribs (CMT, 10pm) Season Premiere – Stars pads.
  • Spartacus (Starz, 10pm) Series Premiere – Who gets Starz?

Saturday

  • SAG Awards (TNT/TBS, 8pm) – And the award goes to…

Sunday

  • Figure Skating Championships (NBC, Sat/Sun, 9pm) – Gearing up for Olympic hopes.
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new and noteworthy tv: 1/11-1/17

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The midseason shows are starting to come in, Idol alone would take up a chunk of time if I didn’t feel like I could skip most of the early auditions, how did I get sucked back in to that show again? Anyhow, procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Diners, Drive-Ins, & Dives (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Pizza, pork, and paprikash, need I say more?
  • Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations (Trav, 10pm) Season Premiere – Tony heads to Panama.
  • Fantasia For Real (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – If you’ve been wondering, what is Fantasia up to these days this is the show for you.

Tuesday

  • American Idol (Fox, 8pm, tues/wed) Season Premiere – We kick off the early rounds of night after night of auditions for those who just can’t get enough, and there will be some guest judges until Ellen takes her regular chair come Hollywood.
  • Southland (TNT, 10pm) – Remember that show that was canceled before they started airing the second season, well they’re starting it out from the beginning on cable, and will air at least all the produced episodes though no guarantees they’ll get anymore.
  • Blue Mountain State (Spike, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – It’s a new football comedy, maybe for those who get too upset watching Friday Night Lights.
  • Little Miss Perfect (WE, 10pm) Season Premiere – Does the girl without an entourage stand a chance in this latest pageant?

Wednesday

  • Monsterquest (Hist, 9pm) Season Premiere – Monster Sharks!
  • High School Reunion (TVL, 10pm) Season Premiere – This season the class of ’89 brings 11 folks from Las Vegas to Hawaii.
  • Leverage (TNT, 10pm) Season Premiere – The team hits the runway to right another wrong, with some sort of con of course.
  • Solving History (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Apparently the host of this show’s name is Olly Steeds but I keep reading it as Oily.
  • Tosh.0 (Com, 10:30pm) Season Premiere – Daniel Tosh puts ‘his indelible stamp on everything crazy the Web has to offer’.

Thursday

  • First 48/Manhunters (A&E, 9/10/10:30pm) Season Premieres – Real life murders and fugitives.
  • Ace of Cakes (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Apparently there is a DIY show that some guys are visiting from to make a ‘man cave’ out of Duff’s basement, and there will still be some cakes.
  • Archer (FX, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – Spy spoof animation.
  • Project Runway/Models of the Runway (Life, 10/11pm) Season Premieres – They’re back…
  • Watch What Happens (Brav, midnight) Season Premiere – I think if you tune in something will happen.

Friday

  • Critic’s Choice Movie Awards (VH1, 8:30/9pm) – First the arrivals and then Kristin Chenoweth hosts as the awards season moves along.
  • I Shouldn’t Be Alive (AnPl, 9pm) Season Premiere – Creepy stories where people could have died but didn’t.
  • The Singing Bee (CMT, 9pm) Season Premiere – More karaoke singing competition.
  • Swamp Loggers (Disc, 10pm) Season Premiere – Swamps, logging…

Saturday

  • Alli Winter Dew Tour (NBC, 10am sat, 12pm sun) – Winter action sports hit Snowbasin, Utah.
  • Pit Boss (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – I feel like making a little person/pit bull rescue joke would be un-pc…

Sunday

  • Golden Globe Awards (NBC, 7/8pm) – Ricky Gervais hosts this one for television and filmmakers from the Hollywood Foreign Press.
  • Human Target (Fox, 8pm) Series Premiere – Mark Valley puts himself between his clients and their deaths, based on a comic book, it moves to its regular timeslot on Wednesday.
  • Food Network Challenge (Food, 8pm) Season Premiere – 4 barbecue teams need to master 4 kinds of meats.
  • 24 (Fox, 9pm) Season Premiere – That guy must be very good at his job to have survived all these days, or the show could be unbelievable, nah…
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new and noteworthy tv: 1/4 – 1/10

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Lots of things kicking back in this week but so little to watch. The procrastinator’s single pick is underlined, it’s like a Where’s Waldo.

Monday

  • Antiques Roadshow (PBS, 8pm) Season Premiere – Find the antiques on the road.
  • The Bachelor (ABC, 8pm) Season Premiere – As I understand from the fans of this show, this is the boring guy who’s coming back, and he’s a pilot I guess.
  • Emeril Green (PlGr, 8pm) Season Premiere – Emeril goes to Vermont.
  • The Secret Life of the American Teenager/Make It Or Break It (ABCFam, 8/9pm) Season Premiere – First whiny teenagers then whiny teenagers who do gymnastics, though I have to admit I got a little hooked on MIOBI last season.
  • Conveyor Belt of Love (ABC, 10pm) – I thought this was a joke, thirty men are given a minute to impress women.
  • Blood, Sweat & Takeaways (PlGr, 10pm) Series Premiere – Six teens start by checking out the tuna industry.

Tuesday

  • The Biggest Loser (NBC, 8pm) Season Premiere – This show doesn’t take much of a breather, this round is couples, which means pairs, oh and there’s a fattest contestant ever.
  • Last Restaurant Standing (BBCA, 9pm) Season Premiere – Hopeful restaurateurs try to impress some chef.
  • Wild Recon (AnPl, 9pm) Series Premiere – ‘Adventurer’ Donald Schultz tries to get ‘samples’ from deadly animals.
  • Howe & Howe Tech (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Follow this real life family owned engineering business.
  • Life After People (Hist, 10pm) Season Premiere – What would happen to stuff if people disappeared?
  • Maneaters (AnPl, 10pm) Series Premiere – We’re starting with sharks!

Wednesday

  • Big Chef Takes on Little Chef (PlGr, 8pm) Series Premiere – Some established chef takes over some small English cafes, not as you may have thought a knife fight with a tall and short chef.
  • People’s Choice Awards (CBS, 9pm) – Queen Latifah is hosting the awards of the people, I don’t remember anyone asking me who I thought deserved an award.
  • Ghost Hunters International (Syfy, 9pm) Season Premiere – This season starts with looking for nazi ghosts.
  • Conviction Kitchen (PlGr, 10pm) Series Premiere – Ex cons learn to cook.
  • Nip/Tuck (Fx, 10pm) Season Premiere – I’ve never seen this show but apparently the plastic surgeon pair are back.
  • Tailgate Takedown (TLC, 10/10:30pm) Series Premiere – USC vs. UCLA and Alabama vs. Florida, but the important question is whose food is better.

Thursday

  • Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew (VH1, 10pm) Season Premiere – It’s the car-wreck show I just can’t look away from, Heidi Fleiss, Dennis Rodman, and Mackenzie Phillips is it good or bad that my cable is out?

Friday

  • Shark Tank (ABC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Wacky or dumb inventions with battles or boredom over their development.
  • What Not to Wear (TLC, 9pm) Season Premiere – Start the season with making over a ballet dancer.
  • The Best Thing I Ever Ate (Food, 10pm) Season Premiere – Food Network hosts talk hometown food.
  • Operation Wild (PlGr, 10pm) Series Premiere – First stop, lobster fishing.
  • John Oliver’s New York Stand-Up Show (Com, 11pm) Series Premiere – I guess this is stand-up comedians hosted by John Oliver.

Saturday

  • World’s Greenest Homes (PlGr, 6/6:30pm) Season Premiere – I wonder if any of these homes have a green decor.

Sunday

  • The Simpsons (Fox, 8/8:30pm) – What do they have in store for the 450th episode, stay tuned for Morgan Spurlock’s special.
  • Chuck (NBC, 9pm) Season Premiere – So Chuck is now downloaded with not just government secrets but much, much more, something tells me it will still be fun, the two hour return tonight is followed by tomorrow’s hour ep.
  • Battlestar Galactica (Syfy, 9pm) – The special ‘The Plan’ takes a look at the series from the cylon’s POV.
  • Big Love (HBO, 9pm) Season Premiere – The drama continues, ok I don’t watch this show and didn’t want to read the plot points but I hear it’s good.
  • Iron Chef America (Food, 9pm) Season Premiere – Morimoto vs. Marino!
  • Ax Men/Madhouse (Hist, 9pm) Season/Series Premieres – Logging and car racing!
  • Masterpiece (PBS, 9pm) Season Premiere – Return to Cranford! Ok last exclamation point…
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procrastinator picks – top tv of 2009

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So we’ve seen what the critics gave their shout outs to, but what about me? Following are my top ten-ish tv shows for 2009. Now these may not all be the ‘best’ shows on the air but they’re the ones that I look most forward to or finish with the most joy (or anticipation for the next episode).

So here goes:

  • Sons of Anarchy (Fx) – A motorcycle club with layers and layers of drama and plenty of violence, I can’t turn away and I can’t wait to tune in to see what Jax and the others will do next season.
  • Chuck (NBC) – A wonderful balance between the spy capers, the geeky humor, and of course the romance, I’m thrilled to see Chuck 2.0 next season.
  • Glee (Fox) – My favorite newcomer, although the first season was a bit uneven (we were all so over the wife) the humor, the mix of poignant moments, and yes, the songs, made me keep coming back.
  • Bones (Fox) – Still my favorite crime solving pair, will FBI Sealy Booth and Forensic Anthropologist Temperance Brennan ever get together?
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – Another new addition to the lineup, so far it’s a great balance between the case-of-the-week and Margulies struggling with her family and potentially corrupt cheater husband, there’s more politics afoot than we know.
  • The Mentalist (CBS) /Castle (ABC) – These two guys are worth tuning into no matter where they are but both are set up as great characters with fun casts and of course the case-of-the-week.
  • Dexter (Sho) – No season has been as good at the first but it doesn’t stop me from yelling at the tv when Dexter is doing something foolish, juggling job, family, friends, and being a serial killer is a tough balance.
  • Dollhouse (Fox) – Another uneven addition to the list but as the season has progressed we see what the show could have been with its corrupt organization and complex issues of identity, too bad there are only three more.
  • Modern Family (ABC)/Community (NBC) – So I still laugh at 30 Rock, The Office, HIMYM, Parks & Rec, but the shows I was most excited to watch were the new ones, MF takes us into the new form of funny families and Community just puts together some weirdos, I don’t know, I am amused.

Special shout outs  for some of the cable fluff that I tended to watch first that even I’m not tempted to make the case that they’re ‘the best’: Drop Dead Diva (Life) – the dumbest premise made the cutest show, Leverage (TNT) – I love a good caper show, and this was good enough, Burn Notice (USA) – cheesy but Macgyver of this generation shouldn’t be skipped, and Greek (ABCFam) – fun plots and characters are all you need to keep you tuning in.

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new and noteworthy tv: 12/28-1/3

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New series, new season, or just a little something of note, here’s what you might (or might not) want to know about in the week to come. Not a lot of note but procrastinator picks are underlined.

Monday

  • Motor City Motors (Disc, 10pm) Series Premiere – Detroit kicks off the latest reality series by trying to turn a Model T into a hot rod.

Tuesday

  • Rudolph’s Shiny New Year (ABC, 8pm) – A little claymation as you hear a little narration from Red Skelton.
  • Kennedy Center Honors (CBS, 9pm) – Springsteen honored among others and Barack says, “I’m the president, but he’s the Boss.”

Wednesday

  • Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (ABC, 8pm) – Charlie and everyone else could use a good year.
  • The Real World (MTV, 10pm) Season Premiere – Eight strangers start getting real, or whatever they do on this show, in DC.

Thursday

  • Twilight Zone (Syfy, 8:30am) – This marathon will take you through ’til 6am January 2nd.
  • Live From Lincoln Center (PBS, 8pm) – The New York Philharmonic provides an alternate to the rockers in this new year’s eve special.
  • Dick Clark’s Primetime New Year’s Rockin’ Eve with Ryan Seacrest (ABC, 10pm) – The boys will be in Times Square while Fergie hosts from Vegas.
  • New Year’s Eve with Carson Daly (NBC, 10pm) – Also in Times Square, I wonder if he can see Ryan and Dick?
  • Billboard’s New Year’s Eve Live (Fox, 11pm) – And I wonder if hostess Carmen Electra will hang out with Fergie in Vegas?

Friday

  • Better Off Ted/Scrubs (ABC, 8:30/9pm) – Following the Rose Bowl we get a special night of these comedies.
  • Now on PBS (PBS, 8:30pm) Season Premiere – The season starts with a look at the road to recovery for bankers and businesses.
  • The Outdoor Room with Jamie Durie (HGTV, 10pm) Series Premiere – Australian Jamie travels the world in search of inspiration for ‘lackluster’ backyard designs.
  • Friday Night Alright (VH1, 11pm) Series Premiere – Starts with Pink performing in Australia.

Saturday

  • How Do I Look/What I Hate About Me (Style, 8pm) Season/Series Premiere – From style issues to looks at women’s top ten issues with  ‘expert’ advice.
  • Underdog to Wonderdog/It’s Me or the Dog (AnPl, 8/9pm) Season Premieres – Starting the season with one problem dog and then handling a household’s nine dogs.
  • Demons (BBCA, 10pm) Series Premiere – More vampires…

Sunday

  • Frank the Entertainer… (VH1, 8pm) Series Premiere – The cheap version of the Bachelor where ladies move into Frank’s parent’s basement.
  • Durham County (Ion, 9/10pm) Season Premiere – The detective deals with another season of mystery as he tries to hold his family together.
  • Guiliana & Bill (Style, 9pm) Season Premiere – Is Guiliana having a baby, does anyone care?
  • Platinum Weddings (WE, 9/9:30pm) Season Premiere – Like weddings aren’t expensive enough, here’s a look at really expensive ones.
  • Secrets of Aspen (VH1, 10pm) Series Premiere – Another ‘reality’ look at ladies, this time singles in a ski-resort town.
  • Worst Cooks in America (Food, 10pm) Series Premiere – Culinary boot camp competition, sign me up, too bad I already cut my finger on a knife, darn, will have to sit this one out.
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critic’s picks – top tv of 2009

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madmenWe’re wrapping up the year and critics and award shows are singing the praises of the best of 2009. Following is a consolidation of what I’ve found on folk’s best lists.

Who said which? Initials included after titles and full names and links below. Am I missing some? Post them in comments and I’ll make updates. What do I think? Stay tuned for my year end tv post.

  • Battlestar Galactica (Syfy) – JP, MR, Wat, TG, AS
  • Better Off Ted (ABC) – TG, AS, CNN
  • The Big Bang Theory (CBS) – AFI, MR, Wat, SA, AS, CNN, AF
  • Big Love (HBO) – JP, AFI, TG, SA, AF
  • Bored to Death (HBO) – TG
  • Breaking Bad (AMC) – JP, MR, WG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
  • Chuck (NBC) – Wat, AS, AF
  • The Closer (TNT) – TVG, SAG
  • Community (NBC) – TG, AS
  • Cougar Town (ABC) – TVG
  • Curb Your Enthusiasm (HBO) – TG, WG, SAG, AS
  • Damages (FX) – TVG, SA
  • Dexter (Show) – WG, SAG, TG
  • Dollhouse (Fox) – Wat
  • Flight of the Conchords (HBO) – TG, SA, AS
  • Friday Night Lights (NBC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, KT, AS, AF
  • Fringe (Fox) – KT, CNN
  • Glee (Fox) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, SAG, TG, KT, SA, CNN
  • The Good Wife (CBS) – SAG, KT, SA
  • Greek (ABCFam)- TVG
  • How I Met Your Mother (CBS) – TG, SA, AF
  • Hung (HBO) – TG
  • In Treatment (HBO) – SA, AS
  • It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia (FX) – TG
  • The League (FX) – TG
  • Lost (ABC) – JP, TVG, WG, Wat, TG, AS
  • Mad Men (AMC) – JP, AFI, TVG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, SA, AS, AF
  • The Middle (ABC) – TVG
  • Modern Family (ABC) – JP, AFI, TVG, TG, MR, WG, Wat, SAG, KT, AS, CNN, AF
  • The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (HBO) – AFI
  • Nurse Jackie (Show) – AFI, MR, Wat, TG, KT, AF
  • The Office (NBC) – JP, TG, WG, SAG, AS, AF
  • Parks and Recreation (NBC) – JP, TG, Wat, SA, AF
  • Party Down (Starz) – AFI, Wat, AS
  • Sons of Anarchy (FX) – JP, Wat, TG, KT, SA
  • Supernatural (CW) – Wat
  • 30 For 30 (ESPN) – AS
  • 30 Rock (NBC) – TVG, TG, WG, SAG, SA, AF
  • 24 (Fox) – TVG
  • Torchwood: Children of Earth (BBCA) – MR, Wat, AS
  • True Blood (HBO) – AFI, MR, Wat, SAG, TG, KT, CNN, AF
  • Ugly Betty (ABC) – AF
  • United States of Tara (Show) – AS
  • Weeds (Show) – SA

AF – Ausiello Files, AS – Alan Sepinwall for Star-Ledger,  AFI, CNN, JP – James Poniewozik for Time, KT – Ken Tucker for Entertainment Weekly, MR – Matt Roush for TV Guide Magazine, SA – Satellite Awards, SAG – Screen Actor’s Guild (best ensemble), TVG – TV Gal, TG – Tim Goodman for SF Chronicle Comedies, Dramas, Wat – The Watcher by Maureen Ryan, WG – Writer’s Guild

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